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.”
I have been challenged with addiction for 10 years, and have been in and out of outpatient treatment and detox several times – but I would always relapse.
When I arrived at Morning Star, I was at the lowest point in my life. Things were spiraling out of control. My four children had been taken from me and placed in foster care with a family member. And then I learned that I was 5 months pregnant.
I arrived with the worst attitude in the world. I was just so angry all the time. But at Morning Star, I started to reflect and gain clarity. I realized that I was hurt and angry with myself. And that’s when the healing began. Everything had been a fight up to that point. But I had nowhere to run – I had to face my problems.
Morning Star helped save my life. They never gave up on me.
Every interaction with my counselor and every staff member helped prepare me to re-enter the world clean and ready to thrive.
I attended treatment 5 days a week, attended a medical assistant program, and became certified in a workforce development program for nontraditional roles for women. And I learned that I am worth it! From now on, I show up, set up, and remain teachable.
When my baby, Liliana, was born, I can’t express how much the onsite child care at Morning Star II helped in my recovery. It made it possible for me to go to treatment, attend school, and focus on me. The structure kept me accountable for being a parent and prepared e for the real world.
I knew I was finally on a path to a better life when I left Morning Star. The court saw the improvements in me, too, and my children came back home to me. I never thought that would happen. Today, thanks to Morning Star, I have a home and my family lives under one roof.
I still visit the program to let them know of my progress. My goal is to be fully self-supported. I know there will be obstacles ahead of me. But I am prepared to take it one day at a time.
“We’ve made lifelong friends and family. It was a beautiful struggle.” Learn More
We provide
24,000
families and individuals with support services and community activities
We shelter
4,600
youth, adults and children