strengthenING family bonds through stability
Breanna, a West Philadelphia native and mother of four, radiates positivity. Impacted by her mother passing away when she was a teenager and living with her father who suffered from addiction and anger issues, Breanna grew up surrounded by poverty and trauma. It was hard for her to believe her life could be different. She remembers a moment from her childhood – sitting on her aunt’s front porch at age 12—where she looked around and thought “This is it. Here is no more for me than what I have now.”
Compounding her childhood experiences, she found herself in an abusive relationship with her children’s father. In 2016, she found her path out through ACHIEVEability’s Family Self-Sufficiency Program (FSSP). “Everyone is healthy and I am able to keep them safe. That started with ACHIEVEability. Once I was able to secure a home for them, it gave me confidence. Just being able to have a safe place for me to put my head at night.” Housing for Breanna was literally life-saving.
ACHIEVEability’s FSSP has provided stability for Breanna and her family not only through housing, but through 1:1 coaching, connection to mental health services and “constant check-ins”. “I was not even aware of it that I needed the support of someone checking in to make sure if I am ok and not drowning.” Breanna also appreciates (and her kids love) getting new backpacks and gifts that make the holidays special.
In May 2021 Breanna graduated from Temple University with a Bachelor’s in Social Work, while supporting all four of her children through virtual school. This summer Breanna secured a job as a Prenatal and Parenting Educator. Breanna is applying what she learned from school and her experience at ACHIEVEability to teach parenting classes and hold community events to provide diapers and hygiene products to families in need. Breanna’s new career is helping her build a professional network, grow as a social worker and serve her community.
Breanna’s ambition has not stopped here. She is pursuing a Master’s in Social Work and will graduate in December 2022. Through our ACHIEVE the Dream Scholarship fund, Breanna was awarded funding to support tuition and books. Breanna works hard. As she puts it, she works five days a week, goes to school two days and takes care of her family every day.
“I’ve learned that I am a natural leader and I like to collaborate and pull people together for a common goal and purpose.” Breanna’s long-term goal is to run her own program to promote healthy parent-child connection during reentry from incarceration.
Coaching and resources from ACHIEVEability pushed Breanna to get where she is now – where she and her children feel safe and can focus on just being a family. “It can be done. It doesn’t feel like it often, especially during the process, but it is possible. Support is there and the coaches are genuine people who will get you here. I can look back at me when I was 12 on my aunt’s porch and say ‘You were wrong’. I have never been so grateful to be wrong.”
As for her family, now, Breanna says, “we can see each other, enjoy each other, be our own selves.”
Help support Breanna, her kids and the many families ACHIEVEability serves. Click here to GIVE NOW! Celebrating 40 years #WESTPHILLYSTRONG