When Maryjane* came to FamilyWorks’ teen parent program, she was thirteen and pregnant. Her dreams had just come crashing down with the full impact of reality, “I’m going to be a mom.”
Maryjane came into the program scared and apprehensive of the future. She received advocacy, food, diapers, and community. For ten years she participated in semimonthly programming that taught her skills and helped her access resources available in the community. She learned about parenting, money management, communication, healthy relationships, being a role model, and child development. She took a hands-on cooking class and made friends.
Recently Maryjane aged out of the teen parenting program when she turned 24. Today she is finishing up a masters degree in Social Service, and volunteering in the teen parent program.
FamilyWorks is a Food Lifeline partner. In 2015-2016, FamilyWorks Food Bank distributed 216,368 pounds of food received through Food Lifeline. Click here to help end hunger for parents like Maryjane.
*Name has been changed
