Children First Fairytale Ball: Majesty Under the Moonlight

Yolanda:

Hi, my name is Yolanda and I have a daughter named Star. She’s three and Children First has made a huge, big difference in our lives. Well, I’m a single parent of six and I became a foster parent. Star came into my life. We had an instant bond.

Interviewer:

Tell me about Star. What’s she like?

Yolanda:

Star likes everything. Star likes to play. She loves doing art because she want to bring a picture home every day and she like to help people. She loves to be loved and she loved to love others.

Interviewer:

What does family mean to you?

Yolanda:

Family is being there for one another, loving each other, communication and being a part of something.

Interviewer:

How did you connect with Children First?

Yolanda:

I Connected with Children First through Star’s caseworker, to get her used to being around other kids and learning different things because she was a little bit behind and she was learning to communicate, play with other kids. When they’re having lunch, they teaching them how to fix their own foods and be independent, clean up.

Interviewer:

What changes have you seen in Star since she’s been coming to Children First?

Yolanda:

Star wakes up every morning. Good morning mom. How you doing? Ready to go to school. It is a good feeling that she wants to come to school. She go in with a smile, so that’s a joy to me that she’s getting that family attention at school as well as at home.

Interviewer:

What is the feeling you feel when you walk into Children First?

Yolanda:

I feel like I’m a part of it. Part of a family. Children First has been there a lot for me and Star, and the teachers are warm. They keep me updated on everything. They want parents to be a part of every activity they have. Children First Cares.

Interviewer:

You’re part of the parent program. Tell me just a little bit about that and how it has helped you.

Yolanda:

Children First are there to help the parents as well as the children. They show you that they care and they’re out to help you better yourself. They help with resumes, even with school if scholarships or whatever need may be, and I started doing volunteer hours and then I ended up working in the kitchen as an employee for Children First. So they are really a big part of our lives to bring Joy.

Interviewer:

How does it feel knowing that Children First is in your corner and that they support you?

Yolanda:

It feels wonderful. I don’t really have a lot of support on the outside. Everything I do, I do. I have to support myself. So having others that support you is a real true blessing.

Interviewer:

When you look into her eyes, what do you see?

Yolanda:

I see a beautiful young girl that wants to be loved and she really knows that she have security and that support from her mom. Me.

Interviewer:

What are your goals?

Yolanda:

Well, my short-term goal with Star is to get her adopted and she’ll really truly be mine as she already is mine, and my long-term goal is I want to open up my own independent living program. That’s to help kids, teenagers, and foster care, to give them that ability to have the support like Children First has with the younger crowd. To give the teenagers that ability to say that someone cares and try to help them through to get them ready for adulthood.

Interviewer:

What’s one thing you want people to know about Children First?

Yolanda:

It’s home, it’s a family, and it’s a place that you really can trust that your child is secure and safe and they’re going to be there to support and love you as well. I want to say thank you to Children First. Being a part of my life, a part of star’s life and giving us the growth and the support and the love Children First is one of the blessings that have came into our lives.