Janese's Corner: Growing Our Village

About four years ago, I was lost. I had lost what I thought was my career, I lost my apartment and had to move back in with my mom, and then one day someone knocked on the door to repossess my car. I was at the lowest point of my life. I remember wondering how someone could ever consider suicide, and I found myself in a place where I finally understood. I was exhausted, hopeless, and I honestly believed my daughter and my family might be better off without me.

But God had other plans.

When I couldn't be everything my daughter needed, the Marnel C. Moorman Family Life Center was there for her. And Ms. Tank doesn't just pour into the scholars; she pours into the entire family. It truly takes a village, and I am so grateful that the Life Center became part of mine.

Ms. Tank gave me an opportunity to work, introduced me to incredible people, and exposed me to experiences I never imagined. The Life Center has become a safe place for me—a place of comfort, belonging, and unconditional support.

Today, I am pursuing a career in social work, and working with our scholars every day confirms that this is exactly where I'm meant to be. Watching their growth during this six-week Rooted and Rising Summer Program has been amazing. Knowing I helped make even one child smile or brighten their day reminds me why I do this work.

Looking back, I truly believe God had to strip away everything I thought defined me so He could show me who I was really created to be. I thought I had nothing, but God was preparing me for something greater. I was so focused on what I had lost that I couldn't see how blessed I truly was.

Someone once told me that everything I've been through isn't just for me, it's for someone else. If sharing my story can give even one person hope, then every struggle was worth it. I wouldn't be where I am today without my village, and I truly believe everyone deserves a village like the Marnel C. Moorman Family Life Center.