From Surviving to Thriving
I’d love to buy a few acres of land and build a home for me and my family.” This is just one of the dreams Family Care mom Quanicia has, along with getting her bachelor’s degree in social work, continue on to get her master’s degree, and biggest of all, to give back to other mothers who have been through difficult journeys similar to what she has faced herself
It was just a few months ago that these dreams seemed so far out of reach for Quanicia and her six-year-old daughter, Briella. Quanicia wasn’t even sure how to pay next month’s bills, or even where she and her daughter were going to sleep the next night. At the time, she says it seemed like she was living in a nightmare that she couldn’t escape. She fell into a deep depression, and all hope seemed lost.
Although she earned her associate’s degree to become a Medical Assistant several years ago, the college she attended wouldn’t send her transcripts or give her the official degree because of debts on her account that she couldn’t afford to pay. “It felt like a constant battle trying to fight for my degree,” Quanicia shared. “I eventually gave up.” Without her degree, she wasn’t able to test for her certification or get a job in that field. Without a stable job, she wasn’t able to pay off her debts. It became a continuous and vicious cycle.
In addition to her job troubles, she also had some relationship troubles. “Shortly after college, I dated this guy, who I thought was helping me, but it turned out to be an abusive relationship, and from there, things just went downhill.” Recognizing neither she nor her daughter were safe, she eventually left that relationship.
SEARCHING FOR A WAY OUT
Bills were tight, her family didn’t have a stable place of their own, and it seemed like Quanicia was running up against a wall she couldn’t get around. Although she was working hard as a caregiver at nights, it was still difficult for her to make ends meet.
She eventually turned to the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) program to help find a better job. Again, she ran into the same problem of not officially having her associate’s degree. The job training counselor that worked with her at WIOA also became concerned about her unstable living situation. Her counselor helped her look for programs or shelters that could provide them a stable home. “I called and interviewed with four or five places that my counselor recommended, but they couldn’t take me in because they have curfews, like at 6:00 PM,” Quanicia shared. “I work at a night job, and going into those programs would have prevented me from keeping my job.”
Things seemed to be going nowhere until her job training counselor recommended the Family Care Program at Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes (ABCH). After an interview and cleared background check, our Family Care team felt that Quanicia and her daughter were a good fit for our program. Valencia, our Family Care Manager in Gardendale, made the call to Quanicia to let them know the good news.
A NEW LEASE IN LIFE
“I remember when I first came here, I wasn’t even sure how I was going to take a bath, because I didn’t have any towels to use, or I didn’t know what to use for our beds,” Quanicia shared with tears in her eyes. “When we came in, though, there were bedsheets, blankets, clothes, towels, and Valencia even had a teddy bear waiting for my little girl on her bed. I didn’t think we’d even have our own room, so it was like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders to walk into our room.”
At one time, Quanicia wasn’t sure how she would make it to tomorrow. After a few months in the Family Care program however, she’s now made a two-year plan for her and her daughter. On top of that, she’s finally been able to obtain her associate’s degree and passed the test to officially be certified as a Medical Assistant. “With the help of ABCH, I’ve been able to get my actual degree, and they provided the books to help me study for my certification. I graduated back in 2013, so it took a lot of studying to remember everything I had learned, but I finally did it!”
If that weren’t enough, Quanicia also decided to become certified as a Tax Preparer. “It’s one more skill I now have, and one more way to support my family when I need to,” Quanicia said. “Also, I hope it’s a way I can help other moms in the program when tax season comes around.” Quanicia only wants to move forward, achieving even more of her dreams, such as going back to school to get her bachelor’s degree in social work, so she can help even more people who have been through the kinds of situations she has.
Also, her daughter has been thriving since they entered the program! “Briella has made so many friends here and at school,” Quanicia said. “She calls this place the ‘big house’ because there’s so many rooms, and every family has their own room. This has been the best thing to happen to us in a very long time, probably since I’ve had her. She no longer has to ask where we’re sleeping tonight or what’s going to happen.”
COMRADERY THROUGH FAMILY CARE
Quanicia and the other mothers currently in our program in Gardendale have formed a strong community with each other. “If I’m having a difficult day, and I see someone else get up and keep going despite similar troubles, it encourages me. I think, ‘If she can do it, I can do it!’” Quanicia shared. “I’ve really been surrounded by positivity here, with the other mothers, and with Valencia encouraging me every step of the way. Before, I could have a plan or an idea, but I didn’t have anyone who believed in it, so I’d just push it to the side. Now, being here, there are people saying I can do it, and we’re all giving each other that extra push!”
While sharing her plans and her dreams, Quanicia couldn’t believe how things have changed in just a few months. “I can’t believe I’m dreaming of owning my own land one day, and my own house! I can’t wait to see what’s up ahead, and to keep moving forward.” Quanicia will be graduating from our program early since she has done so well. Because she was able to save money during her time in the Family Care Program, she is able to pay the deposit for a new apartment and the utilities! We are excited and looking forward to seeing what God has in store for Quanicia and Briella!
Watch a video story about Quanicia here.