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I’m sure most of you can remember that first day of school excitement, where you get to see the friends you haven’t seen all summer and show off your cool new shoes, pencil pouch, or backpack. Thanks to all of you, our kids were able to feel this excitement alongside their peers because you made sure they had everything they needed to start this year off on the right foot.

Ana moved into Stoddard Johnston Scholar House in 2011 with her daughter, seeking a safe space to grow as an individual, mother and student. During their time as a resident, Ana and her daughter took advantage of Academic Coaching, Family Advocacy, childrens workshops and networking opportunities provided. She graduated in 2013 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, as she transitioned out of housing, she enrolled in the Master’s program at Spalding University and completed her practicum with FSH. After completing her MSSW, Ana joined the FSH team as a Family Advocate for our Downtown Scholar House Campus.

Over the past year, I’ve had the opportunity to dedicate my time and serve through AmeriCorps VISTA at Family Scholar House. AmeriCorps members partner with nonprofit organizations to tackle our nation’s most pressing challenges. For me, this was the homelessness crisis in Kentucky. While serving through AmeriCorps and working full-time at their local nonprofits, members receive a living stipend equal to the poverty line in their respective communities. In Jefferson County, this amount is less than our minimum wage. This is done intentionally so that AmeriCorps members experience the poverty in which the people we serve are living.

When asked what Family Scholar House means to me, the simplest answer is that they are family. I have been involved with FSH for eight years; I was 10 years old when I lived here with my mom, and now I am a SummerWorks intern at 18. This is my third summer working at FSH as an intern and something I look forward to doing each year. I chose to spend my summers with Family Scholar House because I know everything they do has an impact on the people they serve. Every year I get the opportunity to support the community that helped my family break the cycle of poverty.

When the Japanese mend broken objects, they mend the damage by filling the cracks with gold. They believe that when something has suffered damage and has history, it becomes more beautiful. As the covid numbers decrease and the number of individuals receiving the vaccine increases, we are slowly transitioning back into some in-person workshops with our participants. It has been a very long year with little human interaction, and this past week we experienced our first in person workshop in the 2021 year.

I was 20 years old when I found out I was pregnant. I wasn’t finished with school. I was dating someone who was continuously abusive, and, at this time, my life felt hopeless. I was having his baby, we were going to have to deal with each other forever now. How was I going to get anywhere in life? My family lost hope in my future, so naturally I did, too. When I gave birth to my son, Liam, I realized this is not what I wanted for him at all. He deserved a happy home, a peaceful space to learn and grow, and I was determined to give that to him. When I discovered Family Scholar House and what they had to offer, I knew I would do whatever it took to become a part of the program.