At seventeen, Natalie gave birth to her daughter Aubrey. After dropping out of high school and running away from home, Natalie was anxious and unsure about her future. Natalie first learned about Alley’s House from her CPS worker so she could continue her education and learn the skills necessary to be a stronger mother for nine-month-old Aubrey.
Like many of our moms, Natalie was afraid of being judged by others for her mistakes. When she enrolled at Alley’s House she found a nurturing, nonjudgmental environment that allowed her to focus on her future and support her personal growth. Natalie has been enrolled at Alley’s House for eight months and says that she has grown more confident in herself as a young woman and mother. Natalie has completed the Health and Wellness (20 hours), Personal Enrichment (5 hours), and PowerSource Parenting and Parenting Support Groups (20 hours). She is nearing completion on both the Financial Literacy and Workforce Readiness workshops, studying to take the GED in October, and has set a goal to graduate by December.
Each April, our participants apply for Alley’s House Mother of the Year award. Natalie’s application focused not only on the obstacles that she has overcome but her goals for the future. Paired with her strong attendance and active program participation she was unanimously voted by the committee to receive the Mother of the Year award. Her win showed her that her motivation was paying off and others saw her hard work to become a better mom and GED graduate.
Once Natalie completes her GED, she plans to enroll in Alley’s House CNA program and her long-term educational goal is to enroll in law school. You can learn more about Natalie’s journey at Alley’s House 2015 Luncheon on October 8th at House of Blues.
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