When Laura contacted Home of the Sparrow three years ago, she was facing a lot of hurdles. She had just separated from her partner and her daughter was admitted to the hospital with a heart condition.
Without a second income, Laura could not afford to stay in her house. Her HOS program coordinator helped her locate an affordable apartment and provided several months of rental assistance in addition to helping her renew her teaching certificate.
Laura met with her program coordinator twice monthly to work on her budget and to address the needs of her daughter. Over the months, Laura received to-go bags filled with groceries, household goods, and toiletries. There were also special deliveries like a full turkey dinner at holiday time and decorations and cupcakes for her daughter’s birthday.
Pre COVID, Laura was employed as a special education assistant. When her daughter needed additional medical treatment, Laura left her job to be her fulltime caregiver and educator. Laura soon realized that her teaching experience and natural talents could lead to a new business opportunity. With leads from HOS’s program team, Laura entered the West Chester University Business Idea Competition. Laura made it to the second round but unfortunately, not the finals. “That’s okay,” she remarks. I’ll just try again and do better!” Her entrepreneurial dream continues.
