Jylisa's Story
Jylisa was pregnant and experiencing homelessness when she was referred to New Moms. For the last 10 years, she said she’d basically been raising herself – her mother coming sporadically in and out of her life because of struggles with substance abuse. Jylisa was living in a shelter for pregnant and parenting mothers before moving into a New Moms apartment when she turned 18.
When she moved into New Moms affordable housing, she was immediately paired with a personal coach. Coaches at New Moms are allies of resilient families, supporting young moms with tools and resources they need to navigate parenthood, adolescence, and achieve their goals for the future.
Jylisa worked with her coach to prepare for the birth of her baby and in January 2021, gave birth to her daughter Ja’nylahh after an emergency C-section. She was in labor at the hospital for three days and almost suffered a stroke before getting to hold her baby in her arms.
“I saw her, and I held her and the pain and suffering – the whole experience – it was worth it.” Jylisa said. “Just seeing her, it was worth it.”
After recovering from her birth experience, Jylisa enrolled in our Job Training program. New Moms’ comprehensive, fully paid, 16-week Job Training program blends classroom and on-the-job training at our social enterprise candle company, Bright Endeavors. Our team works hard to create positive environments of learning and employment practice for young moms.
Jylisa began as a production assistant at Bright Endeavors, in March 2021, and was eventually promoted to team lead because of her task initiation and leadership skills.
“She’s on it! Nothing’s stopping her,” said Erin Vaughn, a New Moms Training and Coaching Specialist in the Job Training program. “If it comes out of her mouth, she’s going to do it.”
Jylisa said she came to realize being part of the Job Training program is more than just a job.
“Bright Endeavors gave me a boost of confidence.” Jylisa said. “It’s like you’re working for them but they’re also working for you. They value your opinion. They make sure you’re okay, physically and mentally.”
Jylisa also graduated from high school during her time at New Moms. She is most proud of herself for graduating on time while balancing her pregnancy and turbulent homelife. She has enrolled at Malcom X College in Chicago to pursue nursing and will begin classes this fall. In addition to earning her college degree, Jylisa’s future goals include finding permanent housing and spending as much time with her daughter as possible.
Jylisa’s story is a great example of what young families can accomplish when they have reliable support. New Moms’ programs positively impact two generations of youth – young moms and their children – and last year alone, we partnered with 718 moms and their children. Join us in this incredible work and support young moms as they build the foundations of well-being for their families and communities. Give a gift to New Moms today!
Follow the link - https://newmoms.org/donate