Education classes on topics like childhood trauma, family dynamics, and codependency help families work toward healthy futures.

When Carrie, a shelter resident, decided to go back to school, it was the biggest step she had ever made. She didn’t believe that she could achieve her goals because of a lack of confidence in herself. “Kathy [advocate] would come into the computer room and say ‘I see a future for you, and I know you can’t see it, but I do.’ She continued encouraging me, and one day, I just trusted her.”

Potential isn’t reached overnight. It doesn’t sprout instantly. It requires daily hard work. Some days, you may take two big steps forward in accomplishing your goals, but other days, it can feel like three steps back. But no matter what, “continuous effort” is required in order to unlock our potential!

In Stepping Stones’ advocacy services, that is what happens every day. Women and families take the time to assess what they can do to build happy, healthy futures and begin to take steps toward those goals. It isn’t easy, and sometimes it doesn’t happen quickly. For some, it is the first time they are even considering the potential they have to accomplish their goals and create the future they want.

With encouragement and support, Carrie went on the get her CNA license. “That opened up so many doors for me and gave me so much more self-esteem than I had, and so much more value in myself knowing that I could go to school, and I could get a job.”