Kay'Chanel was 16, expecting a child, and experiencing housing instability when she came to stay at The Night Ministry's shelter for pregnant and parenting mothers. Now, 14 years later, she is a successful entrepreneur who credits the organization with helping her realize her dreams.
"It wasn't what I expected," Kay'Chanel recalls about her first impression of the shelter. "I thought there would be bunk beds with people sleeping on top of each other. Instead, I had my own bed and closet. It was very nice."
Staying at the shelter was a transformative experience for Kay'Chanel. She found role models among the staff, including Felitha Jones-Patterson and Phyllis Murphy, who are still with the organization today.
"They changed the trajectory of my life," she says. "Coming from where I came from, I didn't see anyone besides my mother with a job. But Felitha and Phyllis were always at work before they had to be there. They were always prompt and very organized."
Sharing household responsibilities, interacting with other residents and staff, and receiving assistance in managing her finances provided a structure that helped her achieve her goals.
"I didn't always like it, but now I definitely appreciate it because to be successful, you need structure," she says.
Having overcome the obstacles she faced as a teenager, Kay'Chanel encourages young people with similar challenges to "keep an open heart."
"Don't let it harden you," she advises. "Sometimes, when you grow up in survival mode and don't have a lot of money, you want to hold on to everything you get. But the more you release and open your hands, the more will come in. The more you help others, the more they will help you."
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