Jessica grew up with a promise—one she made to herself as a little girl: “I’ll never choose anything over my children.” She remembers the weight of her mother’s addiction, the instability of constantly moving, and the ache of knowing she was loved, but not enough. “If I can pick my daughter over drugs,” Jessica often reflects, “my mom could have too.”
Her childhood was marked by chaos—living out of bags, attending eight different schools, and watching her parents get lost in their own struggles. Her father had money, but it came through gambling. Her mother’s addiction took center stage, and even as Jessica arrived for this interview, she saw her mother panhandling in a wheelchair outside a liquor store. That moment, stark and painful, reminded her just how far she had come.
Despite all odds, Jessica graduated from high school with good grades. Her father didn’t come. Her mother was sent to prison that same day. Jessica’s older sister and brother-in-law opened their home to her after graduation. Giving her a loving home to live in. Jessica stood tall. “I beat the statistics,” she says with pride.
Her journey into stability began when her friend Nikki nudged her toward the Getting Ahead program. She didn’t attend the first time she signed up—she wasn’t ready. But the second time, something clicked. Her daughter Ray Ray adored Ashley and her kids, another participant, and Jessica saw hope in that connection. In Getting Ahead, she found a place to reflect, rebuild, and plan.
Jessica learned the value of social capital—of building relationships with people who believed in her. Her manager even commented on how much she’d grown. She also learned how to spot “predators”—people or systems that take advantage of those in vulnerable situations. And most importantly, she created SMART goals: get Ray Ray into childcare and find a part-time job. She did both.
But the path wasn’t easy. Without a car, she was always in a rush, hurrying Ray Ray along to make it on time. “It’s nice not having to rush her now,” she says with a soft smile. “She’s not always in a hurry. It’s a struggle sometimes getting her moving—but it’s a good kind of struggle.”
There were moments she wanted to give up—especially during the first couple of months when Ray Ray would ask, “Why do you have to leave?” every single day. But Jessica had a plan. She spoke it out loud in class, and when Nikki overheard, she beamed with pride. That encouragement fueled her.
Today, Jessica has a car. A simple thing for many, but to her, it symbolizes freedom and progress. “Having a car is such a privilege,” she says. “It still feels surreal.” Her next goal is to make $1,000 a month and earn the Child Tax Credit. She’s not done moving forward—she’s just getting started.
To anyone still stuck in survival mode, Jessica offers this: “If I can do it, you can too. I still struggle, but I’m doing it.”
Through Getting Ahead, Staying Ahead, and the Ally Program, Jessica now has the tools, the support, and the drive to not just survive—but to thrive. For her, and for Ray Ray, hope is no longer a distant dream. It’s their new reality.
Are you or someone you know interested in Getting Ahead? Get started here!