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Chaotic. Gripping. Hard to watch. Heart breaking. Hopeful. Courageous. I recently watched Maid on Netflix. While I am not a binge watcher, I found myself captivated by the story of a single mom named Alex. Living in poverty, overcoming abuse, breaking cycles, Alex is a survivor. She takes a job as a maid to earn money to support her daughter. She is scrappy and rough around the edges but understands sacrifice and loves deeply. Having endured long term, sustained trauma she wrestles with how to break free from thought and behavior patterns that threaten future stability. Alex grapples with the complex system of government resources that is frustrating for clients and caseworkers alike. She has big dreams for her future with seemingly insurmountable obstacles in her way. Unwilling to relent, Alex fights for herself and her daughter. Though she is 25, in many ways her story reflects what teen parents face in their daily struggle to get by.
This week in Kindred Life...
A teen mom living in a Wings Domestic Violence Shelter reached out for help.
Another teen parent is reeling from a subsequent pregnancy
while also dealing with verbal abuse.
Chaotic. Gripping. Hard to watch. Heart breaking. Teen parents in our community are afraid, alone and often feel desperate.
This week in Kindred Life...
A teen mom is working hard to graduate from high school ON TIME!
As a direct result of your generosity, she has support for childcare and transportation to help make earning her diploma possible.
Kindred Life enters the scene and the story begins to shift from tragic to hopeful.
"Before Kindred Life, I felt lonely and misunderstood. Even though I felt nervous and excited about becoming a mom, I knew I was not equipped to BE a mom. Now I understand that it is a growing process and that I am capable.
Kindred Life gave me a supportive community." ~Mickey~
Though she is a recent Kindred Life graduate, Mickey remains deeply connected to our community. In fact, she volunteers weekly at our Mundelein office. She is helping new clients understand how to take advantage of all of the resources and support that Kindred Life offers while also helping new mentors understand their role and impact.
On behalf of the Kindred Life family, thank you for being part of the community that so many teen parents have counted on to nurture big dreams and overcome the seemingly insurmountable.
Sincerely,
Eliza LaBelle
P.S. If you are curious about what life is like for many of our teen parents- watch The Maid. If you want to make a difference, join the family!
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