Daily Persevering: Family Care Success
Quanicia and her daughter, Briella
“It brought tears to my eyes to finally get the help I had been so desperately needing.”—From A Seasoned Letter for Family Care by Family Care program graduate, Quanicia.
Quanicia graduated from our Gardendale Family Care program in August 2018. Before moving out, she wrote a letter to future Family Care moms to encourage them along their program journeys. Now two and a half years later, we were excited to be able to catch up with her and hear how she and her daughter, Briella, have been doing since we last spoke.
Quanicia shares that she and Briella are doing well, still living in the same apartment that they moved into when they left Family Care. She adds, “Briella just recently turned nine, and we are expecting a baby sister for her next month. I have had a job with the State of Alabama Corrections Department for a little over a year now as a Corrections Officer, and I am still working towards my degree in social work.”
When we first met Quanicia a few years ago, she was at a true low point in life, unsure of how she would pay next month’s bills, or even where she and her daughter would sleep from night to night. It’s a blessing and an encouragement to see the 180-degree difference in the lives of the moms that were once in our care as they continue to thrive and accomplish goals that they may have never thought possible.
The goal of Family Care isn’t just to make sure a mom and her child(ren) have a safe place to lay their heads and food to eat; it is also to prepare them for lifelong success. To do this they are required to save money and hold a stable job, while they are also given free access to a licensed, professional counselor through our sister ministry, Pathways Professional Counseling. Quanicia shares that learning how to save, setting realistic goals for herself, and learning positive coping mechanisms are just a few of the important lessons she took with her from her time in the program.
“Family Care helped me with learning how to set more realistic goals and then working towards that goal … and saving. That was a really big thing. It was something that I struggled with because I felt like I was living paycheck to paycheck. Family Care helped me understand how I could save and put money back for things. That has paid off tremendously with the way I live my life now,” Quanicia explains.
She also shares that her sessions with a Pathways counselor are still helpful to her today. “I learned more healthy coping mechanisms, so I don’t get as overwhelmed when things get stressful now. I have a list of coping things that I can try, and if one doesn’t work, then I can try another until something helps me overcome that feeling of stress or anxiousness,” she says.
When asked what she thinks of when she reflects on what God has done in her life and what she’s learned through the challenges she experienced, Quanicia says perseverance comes to mind.
“Perseverance. Looking back over everything, I didn’t think I would make it this far. Being a part of the program, I met people who taught me things and helped push me a little further along my journey, and I was able to make it through. Looking back, I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh! I made it through all of this.’ It’s really easy to see all the bad things around you and not realize you’ve overcome obstacles,” she shares.
Quanicia even says that she handled the stress of the pandemic and being an essential worker better because of everything she learned in the Family Care program.
With one last encouraging word to current and future moms in Family Care, Quanicia says although it’s easy to get overwhelmed, it’s important to, “Never give up, because there is light at the end of the tunnel, and know you’re strong enough to make it there, whether you see it in yourself or not.”
We’re excited to see how the Lord continues to make a way for Quanicia and Briella, (and new baby sister!) to thrive in this season of life. Please continue to keep this sweet family in your prayers. To learn more about our Family Care ministry, visit here.
You can also read our first story with Quanicia, her letter to moms, or watch a short video story about her time with us.