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It's hard to believe that we have been part of this community for twenty years! twenty years of supporting single parents in their quest to make a better life for themselves and their children. As we think about the history of Mom's House, one predominant factor is consistent, and that's the generosity of our community. You were there for our grand opening, for the celebration of our tenth anniversary, for the 100th graduate, for the day to day needs of our program and our parents, the list goes on and on...Together we have helped one hundred and seventy-two single parents complete their eduation and achieve financial independence. That's not the only gift they receive, they also gain confidence, faith and hope.
A young girl walked into Mom's House several years ago. "Melissa" became pregnant at sixteen. She was a good student and came from a solid family background. Melissa was full of potential, however getting pregnant was not in the master plan. At first, she didn't know what she was going to do, she felt scared and alone. Then someone told her about Mom's House. She looked so defeated, so unsure of what was ahead for her and her son, who was a gift, be it untimely, yet still a precious gift. At sixteen how could she be a good mother, a good student, do the right thing? These were all questions that were at the forefront of her thoughts. She and her son soon became clients at Mom's House. That was the first step in creating a life for herself and for her child, that was her gift to him. With the help of Mom's House Melissa completed her high school education and went on to graduate from college. Who is Melissa? She is one of the 200 plus teenagers in Broome County who become pregnant every year. She and her son could have been another statistic, they could have been another single parent family relying on welfare for financial support. Instead Melissa gained an education and the confidence to move on, the faith that there is good in this world, and hope for her and her son's future. Where is Melissa now? She, like many others who have utilized our services, is working in our community, supporting her family in financial independence. Melissa also regained hope. Hope is such an elusive emotion these days, but that's exactly what these families find within the walls of Mom's House. What better gift to give someone than the gift of hope?
Our program is evolving, in order to better serve our mission. In 2004 we purchased a half-acre of land in Johnson City, on which we built a 4,000 square foot building to re-locate our program. The main goal of this project was to better serve our community and to increase the impact of our program. This decision was not made lightly and not without weighing all of our options. There were two central issues addressed by this move. First was accessibility. Mom's House is a program for all single parent students living in our community. However, access for some was severly limited with our Endicott location. By moving to a more central location, we became more accessible to those who need us, especially teenage parents. A second issue was service delivery. Providing a quality program where all of the children's needs are met in a safe and healthy environment is critical to the success of the children enrolled. We also must always strive to meet appropriate elements of an educational program. With our new Johnson City location, we have a private space for children to receive special services such as speech therapy. In addition, we gained playground space. Playgrounds provide unique opportunities that cannot be found indoors, such as the ability to run, jump, climb, and swing. This new site provides wonderful opportunities for the future of our program and our desire to have a facility that will serve the needs of our community for years to come.
Among our 173 graduates are physical therapists, teachers, accountants, and medical office assistants, just to name a few of the professions in which these young people are gainfully employed. Through hard work and with your support, these parents have been able to complete difficult educational requirements and embark upon a new life - a new life filled with hope, dreams and aspirations. None of it would have been possible without the support of good and generous people like you. We hope you realize how truly important and wonderful you are to us and to the families we serve. From your heart and from your hands comes the most important chance most of our clients will ever have in life.
If you would like to support Mom's House, please send your tax-deductible donation to Mom's House, 770 Harry L Drive, Johnson City, NY 13790. Let's continue to build a life...together!
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