At 13, Mary got a front row seat to the fortitude of a courageous single mom. It was 2000, and a challenging situation thrust her mom, Valerie, into a crisis. New to town, Valerie and her 4 teenage daughters had nowhere to go. But they found refuge at Family Life Services.
“My mom is phenomenal,” says Mary. “With no family to rely on, she had to go it alone. By sheer force, her grit and dedication came through for my sisters and me. She was so emotionally strong—but we needed a safe place. We loved our apartment. On campus, I truly felt the stability Mom worked so hard to provide.”
Mary is grateful that in the midst of upheaval, the love of her mother and the anchor of FLS allowed her childhood to feel blissfully normal. Her mom held down several jobs, but even with that juggling, prioritized Mary’s attendance at The Classical Academy. “My TCA friends would come over often– I never felt shy to invite them. We got ready for dances here! As adults, we’re still close.” Reminiscing recently on the front porch of the main house, she beams, “I remember how special my 16th birthday felt in this very spot!”
Valerie saw God provide for her needs tangibly within the FLS village. The steady flow of volunteers provided a sense of safety. A mentor invested in her healing, unveiling God’s love through His Word. Clothing and food donations appeared in the mail room (a place that still sparks her tender tears of gratitude). She built community as she linked arms with other moms. And–God used her in ministry as she served younger moms with little ones who needed extra nurturing help.
Mary observed—and absorbed–her mom’s strength. She went on to pursue a degree in social work from CSU. She would say her years on campus were embers for a flame that still radiates to others. She married a great man and thrives as a strong mother to her own five children.
“Looking back, my dreams, and who I became, are rooted in my experience at FLS. I helped our neighbors, cared for babies, and witnessed how important housing and stability are for single moms. I carried that perspective into my passions and worked in residential treatment for teens and child protection, and then as a birth doula. A lot of that stemmed from how life at FLS positively shaped me.”
Mary is now a successful entrepreneur and co-owner with her husband of an engineering firm. And, in full circle, she gives back to the formative refuge of her childhood by mentoring an FLS mom.
The staff of FLS see it all the time—this soft place to land offering a new trajectory for a mom, and by extension, for her children.
Valerie’s story grew, too. She later married a wonderful man and is the beloved matriarch to scores of grandchildren—dozens if you count those who revere her as such! Though she herself never had family to count on for “social scaffolding,” Valerie has built that scaffolding for generations beyond her who lacked a stable maternal force. Her daughter marvels at how her mom turned a moment of need into others’ abundance. Both display the same message on the walls of their homes: “Strong women raise strong women who raise strong women.” Indeed, Mary claims she is who she is because of her mom’s fortitude, nurtured in the soil of these two acres.
This is what FLS does—generational change. Strong legacies of new futures. As single moms become the stable heads of their households, equipped to meet their families’ challenges, the impact carries forward for decades to come.
The Rebuilt Village of Family Life will propel forward
this generational impact.
God is doing a new thing (Isaiah 43:19) so more families like Valerie’s can flourish.
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Contact info@flscs.org to learn about eligibility for the Homeless Contribution Tax Credit.
THANK YOU!