President's Column

The first homeless single mom I met when I began Good Counsel in 1985 wanted to return to school to better herself for her daughter's sake.

Today, it's no different. "I want to be able to show my daughter that no matter what you go through, you can make it," said Janyll, a mom at Good Counsel. She just graduated with a very special recognition by the New York City's Schools Chancellor for all she accomplished in spite of daunting obstacles. Just as admirably, she'll be attending LaGuardia Community College this month. She will major in business.

Janyll was a straight "A" student until her sophomore year in high school. She was close to her father and he wanted her to succeed. She thrived on that. She considered him her best friend. Then, he was murdered. Who could describe what that must have felt like? Her life collapsed. She lost all interest in school, in herself, in life. Classes, grades - all fell by the wayside. Janyll reacted very badly toward her mother, too. Nothing was holding together.

She became pregnant. She was told not to have this baby. She left home. While bouncing around friends' homes, she found Good Counsel and moved in March 11 of this year during her fifth month of pregnancy.

Now, she wanted to be able to show her baby she could be someone. Janyll had to make up her lost high school credits and so she entered an internship program after classes in an effort to graduate on time.

Then, another challenge hit her. In April, Janyll's grandmother died, this too was a traumatic loss. We helped her remember that her grandmother, like her father, would want her to remain focused on finishing school. Also, she felt her baby moving. That, literally, helped her to keep moving to do better.

Good Counsel began with the idea that a single mom needed help to go back to school. After all, education is key to improving one's life. Even for a young woman who wants to move forward, it's just not that easy. Poor study skills, emotional challenges, low self-image are the hurdles each mom has to overcome before advancing educationally. Every year Good Counsel Case Managers look at how we approach a mom and how well she does. We rate ourselves and try to improve our approach in order to help her better.

Each mother who comes to Good Counsel is given an online test, Let's Go Learn, and her individual educational level is evaluated. This helps Good Counsel staff to customize a program for her so she can take that next good step.

Some moms may have graduated high school, but are functionally unable to read or do math well. With professional and volunteer staff, we'll tutor and help her to progress.

This is our own challenge. Some mothers have already been working by the time they come to Good Counsel and simply do not wish to return to school. They will continue to work. Others will actually work and return to school. Still others return, but try as they might, simply just can't advance educationally. Like a parent wanting all our kids to do their best in school and out, Good Counsel staff keeps encouraging and guiding.

In the first quarter of this year we saw more than half, 54%, of Good Counsel mothers improve their educational levels. Given the hurdles, overall, this is great progress. Really great!

You know, to enter Good Counsel, we care that you are pregnant and in need. After that we'll strive to give the best; hope and pray for the best, but recognize that sometimes the best is simply being in a safe, loving home filled with hope. Certainly, that's better than the streets, better than abuse or neglect.

Thanks to you we've seen many more joyous successes like Janyll. With you, we'll continue. Let's keep praying and working for that next good step.

God bless you,


Christopher Bell +