Recently, a young woman named Sarah came to our office to thank and inform us she would be graduating from college with a bachelor’s degree. She wanted to specifically thank Jeanne Bolin and Curt Krueger. With tears, she said if it was not for Catholic Social Services, this would have never happened.
Sarah came to CSS as a young mother of a little girl. She was fleeing an abusive relationship while caring for an ill mother who was unable to work. She was homeless and afraid.
We took Sarah, her daughter, and mother into our Transitions Housing Program. We gave them a comfortable and safe place to live. We made sure they had food, and we furnished their apartment. Once their immediate needs were taken care of, we started working with Sarah on the issues that brought her to homelessness.
Sarah had dropped out of high school when she became pregnant. We suggested she enroll in a course to obtain her GED. Not only was she afraid of the challenge, she did not think she could do it. She never had anyone in her life to tell her she was smart and capable enough to achieve such goals. She was broken and lacked self-confidence.
We encouraged her to take the chance. We told her she was certainly capable of obtaining the GED, and much more. When Sarah enrolled for her GED, she was convinced as far as education was concerned, she could go no further. Much to her surprise, she did very well and received her GED. Sarah became more confident, yet when we discussed the possibility of going to college, she truly believed she would never be able to handle classes, homework, a part-time job, a daughter and a disabled mother.
We encouraged her to go for it. We knew she could do it. Again we reminded her she was smart and capable enough to do it. Soon Sarah enrolled at SCC. It was not easy. She had to juggle her time, budget very carefully and work very hard.
There were more challenges awaiting her. Sarah’s mother died before she graduated. Sarah also became the mother of a baby boy. She struggled financially throughout her academic years. These things may have made someone else quit. It would have been easy to give up. With love and encouragement, Sarah kept moving forward.
The rest is history: she soon obtained an associate’s degree and will be graduating from Doane College with a BA degree. She is interested in social services and wants to help young women like herself. She pointed out that less than 10% of single mothers who reach 30 years of age ever graduate from college and get out of poverty. As a college graduate with a good job, Sarah will be able to support her family and avoid homelessness again.
Because of our generous donors, we were able to make sure her basic needs were met. That said, Sarah needed more than a home and food. Those things are important and necessary, but we try to give our clients more. She needed people who loved and cared about her and her family, and a little loving push to guide her when the way was not so clear and easy. She also needed our prayers.
We are very proud of Sarah! Please keep her and her children in your prayers.
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