With Thanksgiving around the corner and Giving Tuesday approaching on December 1st, Home Start has dedicated November as a month of #GivingThanks for all of the amazing people and programs that come together to support our efforts in protecting San Diego families.
We thought this would be a great time to share some real-life stories about the impact our services have had on young families in San Diego County. Each account focusses on a different Home Start program, highlighting the range of ways we are able to approach a variety of needs.
Community Services for Families
“Home Start’s visit coaching was so meaningful and beneficial. I was able to develop an amazing relationship and bond with my children. They helped me strive to be the best person and mother I can be and continue to do so. It has given me an understanding of my children’s developmental stages and has helped me learn how to regulate my emotions so that I can help my children regulate theirs. The amount of support I have received from Home Start is unimaginable, and I wish I had known about this program a long time ago. I recommend Home Start and visit coaching to everyone I know in need of services. I am forever grateful for all the amazing service providers I met with and services I received at Home Start. I am now the mom I want and need to be for my boys and I will continue to draw on all of my experiences with Home Start to make the best life possible for me and my children. Thank you.” — Angela
First 5 First Steps
“I entered Home Start’s F5FS program when I was pregnant and learned how to pay attention to my pregnancy with healthy methods of nutrition. I was taught how to take care of, read to, and speak to my unborn baby to build a strong and healthy relationship between us. I also learned to be more aware of my child’s brain, physical abilities, and social skills. Once my son was born I learned how to choose activities that help to develop his cognitive, fine, and gross motor skills, his communication, and his problem-solving abilities. During this program, I made many positive changes and plan to continue my education to find a job and provide for my family’s needs.” — Jasmin
Maternity Housing Program
“I had a pretty rough start in life. Both of my parents were drug addicts. Dad died when I was five and Mom only kicked the habit a couple of years ago. So grew up in a series of foster homes. Then I was forced into human trafficking and homelessness. I was alone and scared and turned to unhealthy relationships. I was living with a violent man and didn’t know what he was capable of. I was pregnant at the time and eventually fled with my older son. That’s when we found Home Start. Home Start welcomed my son and me into their Maternity Housing Program and provided us with our very own apartment. My second son was born here. He has only known caring people. I have attended 52 weeks of Home Start’s parenting sessions. They helped immensely. Today, I am a responsible parent and cherish giving my boys’ love and support.” — Kassandra
Behavioral Health Program
Elliott is a 12 year old boy currently in treatment here at Home Start due to a history of his father physically abusing him. The father would stalk Elliott in the community, and it would cause him to be extremely anxious. Our Home Start East County Therapist has helped Elliott create a safety plan in the community, find ways to cope around his PTSD, and helped prepare him to share his story for the trial to testify against his father. During this time, our therapist has maintained an excellent relationship with Elliott’s school and mother. Lastly, Elliott has been able to excel in school, participate in sports, and is currently being sponsored by a sporting clothing line.
Thank you to each of these participants for sharing their story with us. Each one inspires us to do even more.
We give thanks to the Program Managers, Case Managers, therapists and staff who perform the hands-on, daily work to make these successes possible. We also couldn’t do it without the broad support of our donors and volunteers.
And don’t forget us on #GivingTuesday! If you want to be a part of these life-changing programs, please make a donation here or discover other ways you can get involved here.