Lateasha worked with YWCA St. Paul case managers to find a stable, living-wage job and build a local community to build a stable foundation for her son to have a great life.
Category: Success Story
Success Story: Alaysha
Alaysha is a participant in YWCA St. Paul’s YW Stride, which supports young women of color who are transitioning from foster care by helping them secure stable housing and navigate relationships, resources and systems. Alaysha’s mother had her at a very young age. In her early years, she had the opportunity to grow up […]
Success Story: Claudia
After completing YWCA St. Paul’s Transitional Housing Program, Claudia’s goals led her back to YWCA St. Paul’s employment services. As a participant in YW Works, she gained the skills and confidence she needed to secure meaningful employment at a job she enjoys. Claudia now shines for her children, and for herself. “My kids see the […]
Success Story: Pete
A fierce competitor his whole life, when Pete ran into health issues in his 80s, he showed that lifelong fitness is its own reward. Just days after competing in a swim meet, he experienced trouble breathing and went to his doctor, where he learned he had a leaking aortal valve and needed emergency surgery. “I […]
Success Story: Maryam
Maryam lives with her parents and three younger siblings in an apartment just a few blocks away from YWCA St. Paul, but before coming to her first Youth IMPACT event at age 14, she thought it was just a place where people worked out. Now, 18-year-old Maryam works in YWCA St. Paul Health & Fitness […]
Success Story: Chanell
Like many parents, Chanell spends a lot of time in the car, with drop-offs and pick-ups going between school and daycare, work and home. Chanell’s experience differs, however, in that she and her older daughter Jade once used their car for shelter while experiencing homelessness. Jade’s father died in 2016, leaving Chanell struggling with grief […]
Success Story: Nena
Before she began spending time at YWCA St. Paul, Nena struggled with how to spend her time in a productive way that would build a bright future for herself. “They introduced me to a whole bunch of activities,” she says of YW. “With them I got my first job, I got to see colleges and […]
Success Story: Australia
Australia had always had a job to support herself and her two sons. After switching to working part time in order to pursue her education full time, however, she wasn’t able to keep up with rent. “I got one month behind in my rent, and I didn’t have a place to go, not even a […]
Success Story: J’Nae
Video Transcript [J’Nae at home, preparing some broccoli] J’Nae: My name is J’Nae. I have two children and I’m trying to change the way that we eat and get everything fresh. My daughter is four and she reminds me of me. And my son is Two. So I had my daughter my sophomore year and […]
Success Story: Jaquon
Video Transcript Jaquon: I was on a very dark path. I was doing things that I regret now that I’m older. I was just doing things I shouldn’t have been doing and I ended up getting expelled, making bad decisions all the way up into high school [laughter] still make decisions and then that’s when […]