Isis was 15, living in a homeless shelter with her mother and five siblings, when she became a mother herself.
“My mom had just enough for the six of us to basically survive,” recalls Isis. “When I had Kaiden, she made the decision to place me into foster care. It was my first time separated from my family, but I was in need of something stable for both me and my son.”
So just after her 16th birthday, Isis and baby Kaiden moved into SCO’s Bethany I, a residence for pregnant and parenting teens in foster care. There, she found the support she needed and quality childcare for Kaiden.
“It definitely was challenging, but SCO staff was very supportive of my dedication to schoolwork,” says Isis. “It was a ticket to my success.”
Last spring, Isis graduated with two gold medals for academic achievement, an award from the City Council and a college scholarship. Today she’s studying political science at Endicott College, living in a dorm for students with young children. While she’s in class, Kaiden attends preschool. On visits to New York, they come home to Bethany.
“SCO provided me with the resources to be able to grow, to further my education,” says Isis. “We’ve made lifelong friends and family. It was a beautiful struggle.”
“We’ve made lifelong friends and family. It was a beautiful struggle.” Learn More
"I'm not going to give up because I know they're not going to give up on me." Learn More
We help
2,000
children get ready for kindergarten
Last year, we placed
2,007
youth in employment, subsidized employment or internships