Client Snapshots A Single Mom Advocates For Her Child
Elia — 23 year-old Elia was referred to Room to Grow by the Baby Steps Home Visiting Program in Harlem when she was homeless and pregnant with her daughter Cara. After Cara was born, Elia was able to find housing for herself and her mentally ill mother, but then learned that her daughter was suffering from microencephalitis, a brain inflammation. Living in poverty with her only income coming through public assistance, Elia works hard for a better life for herself and her daughter. She has been a strong advocate for her daughter's medical care, and with Room to Grow's help, Elia found a program to prepare herself for the GED exam. Elia has since received the GED, is getting honor-level grades as she works towards her Associates degree in accounting, and plans to get her bachelor's degree as well. Cara, meanwhile, is responding well to medical treatment. Elia feels that Room to Grow has given her the tools and understanding she needs as a mom to take care of Cara, as well as the practical support she needs to work towards a healthy future for her.

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Parents Working Together
John and Christina — John and Christina have two teen-aged children together, and recently reunited after a long separation and now have a baby girl together named Christa. They stayed in touch over the years due to their children, and after her mother died, they became closer and decided to give their relationship another try. John works at a supermarket in Dorchester and Christina works for a childcare center in Roxbury. They work opposite shifts to avoid childcare costs, though this takes a toll on their relationship. Because they are both working, their combined incomes make them ineligible for any state or federal assistance, creating a very difficult financial situation for this family of five. The items they receive at Room to Grow for Christa takes one more thing off of their "financial plate" and they are more able to use their money in other critical areas. John and Christina appreciate having a place to come to talk about their parenting dilemmas regarding all three of their children. They say that Room to Grow is a place where they both feel heard. They are different parents this time around and work with Room to Grow to develop solutions that will help create stability in their and Christa's lives.

A Young Family Builds a Home
Pamela and Brian — Pamela and Brian, both 21, were referred to Room to Grow by Beth Israel Hospital before the birth of their son Brandon. Because of the couple's cultural differences (she is Chinese-American and he is African-American), she was thrown out of her family's home when the relationship was discovered. Pamela and Brian now rent an apartment in the basement of a friend's home. Before Brandon's birth, Pamela had worked in a temporary position as a bookkeeper. However, because the job had no vacation or sick time, she had to leave once Brandon was born. Brian is doing his best to support the family by doing maintenance work at a hospital, but his salary just covers rent, food, and transportation. Room to Grow made sure that they had applied for all the public assistance for which they are eligible, including food stamps, Section 8 housing vouchers, and child care support. Without the baby items Room to Grow provides, the couple would not be able to provide any of the barest necessities for their child. At their first visit to Room to Grow, Pamela cried when she saw the items they would be taking home. Because her family had disowned her, there had been no baby shower celebrating Brandon's birth. This visit to Room to Grow would be the baby shower, she said, and she was so grateful to Room to Grow for treating her like family.

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A Devoted Mother Sees a More Secure Future
Jaya — Jaya is a 25-year-old first generation immigrant from the Dominican Republic. When she was referred to Room to Grow by the Morris Heights, Special Beginnings Home Visiting program in the Bronx, Jaya was pregnant and forced into homelessness by the domestic violence she suffered from her child's father. After her son Rico was born, Jaya entered the City's shelter system and then ultimately moved into an apartment. Once stable, Jaya began seeking job training, and Room to Grow referred and helped enroll her into a program to train home healthcare aides - and she now works full time in this profession. Room to Grow also put Jaya in touch with an Early Head Start Program, which Rico now attends. While she works, Jaya is thankful that Rico has a place where he can be safe, happy, and enjoying the company of other children. Once depressed and fearful of her ability to care well for her son, Jaya now reports a marked difference in how she feels about herself and is very proud of what she has accomplished for herself and Rico. She also expresses relief that her home is filled with items, received at Room to Grow, that make caring for Rico more secure.

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A Family Struggling To Make Better Lives
Suzanna — Thirty-year-old Suzanna came to Boston from El Salvador to find a better life when her first child was still an infant. Now a citizen, Suzanna is waiting for her husband to get paperwork from El Salvador to join her. Suzanna recently transitioned from a shelter into an apartment near her parents shortly after giving birth to a baby girl, Rosa. Waiting for her husband to come has been a long process. He is working, but his salary is not enough to send support to his family. Despite her hardship, Suzanna loves being a mother and says that coming to Room to Grow makes her feel more confident about her daughter's future and her ability to be a good mom. She describes Room to Grow as a place where she feels connected, and a place that gives her hope. She especially enjoys sharing the books she receives at Room to Grow with Rosa, and has reported that their reading together not only brings them closer but is also helping her improve her English skills.

Names have been changed to mantain confidentiality.

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