Aiesha’s Story

Aiesha came to New Moms in August of 2012 with a high school diploma and a vibrant personality. Her short term goal was to become a Certified Nursing Assistant, and she even volunteered at a local hospital to gain experience, but she hit a roadblock after two unsuccessful attempts at passing her certification exam. But she was determined to pursue higher education and decided to attend a local community college to pursue a degree in early childhood development. While furthering her education, Aiesha also completed our Academy of Professional Development (now called our Job Training program) to provide her with job training to help her become economically independent.

Just as she was finishing her paid practicum at Bright Endeavors as part of New Moms’ job training program, Aiesha experienced a significant setback. Her elderly father, for whom she had provided care, became unable to provide stable housing for her and her child. Alone with a young child and no support system, she was forced to enter an emergency shelter. Remembering her positive experience and relationships at New Moms, Aiesha applied for housing at our Transformation Center, and after a short wait, was able to move in to the Transformation Center community.

Aiesha eventually found a permanent housing opportunity, and worked with the New Moms staff to develop a comprehensive exit plan to ensure she was ready for independent living. Aiesha has shown extreme growth and maturity by addressing all barriers toward permanent housing before starting the next chapter of her life. Today she is flourishing in her education, living independently, and continuing to work toward her life goals while being a devoted mother to her son.