3 minute read
Breaking Cycles of Generations to Come
Gabby
It was Christmas, and Gabby’s son had been in foster care for nine months. Though it was lonely without him at home, Gabby was excited that things in her case were going well. She’d done the required classes, had gotten her medication managed, was attending therapy, had a job she enjoyed, and was looking for stable, affordable housing.
Marie, the foster mom to Gabby’s son, helped connect Gabby to Foster Village. Marie wanted to be an ongoing, supportive person in Gabby and her son’s life, and she had begun looking for resources in the community that would benefit Gabby.
We listened to Gabby’s story as she shared about unstable family connections and little to no outside support system. She shared about her love for her son and her goals – number one of which was to bring her son home.
We began to meet together regularly, working toward those goals and supporting Gabby as she got closer to reunification. One of the last pieces of the puzzle for Gabby was figuring out child care since she had worked her way into a supervisor position on an overnight shift. This non-typical work schedule made it impossible to utilize a typical daycare.
Marie volunteered to help with child care when she was in town, and we began to connect with others in the village who could provide care when Marie was unavailable. Once the childcare plan was in place, Gabby’s son was able to return home, and they settled back in as a family.
In the months following reunification, the village continued to be a family to Gabby. When intense illness hit her home, we were able to help with groceries and cover the gap in rent due to lost wages. When her car repairs were going to cost more than her vehicle was worth, a couple stepped up to help her replace the car with a great used vehicle. Marie still watches her son so Gabby can continue to work her way up in the field she loves. Often, they all have dinner together before Gabby heads into work.
With a village of support, generational cycles are breaking. Gabby knows she is surrounded by the family she needs to be a healthy and successful mom. And more importantly, she knows her son will not grow up in isolation and instability like she did. Instead, he will have a brighter future...and so will his kids and their kids and their kids.
