Strong Young Mothers Make Strides with Unity's - Unity Health System

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In focus | Project Independence How health care should be Strong Young Mothers Make Strides with Unity’s “Project Independence” Melisa Vazquez, senior case manager at Unity's Healthy Start program, works with Sandra Unity Health Foundation | (585)723-7050 | unityhealth.org/foundation | PAGE 13
“I found out about Unity’s Healthy Start Center from the homeless shelter where I was staying,” explains Sandra. “I was pregnant and didn’t know anything other than it was my responsibility to care for myself and my baby. I called the Center and told them about my situation and they said they could help.” Melisa Vazquez, a senior case manager at the Healthy Start Program, recalls her first meeting with Sandra: “When we first met, Sandra had no direction in life, she was lost. She had no family here and no outside support. She had an extremely rough childhood and just couldn’t seem to catch a break. She came to the Center and we saw right away that she is extremely smart and loving, and we knew we could help her break the cycle of abuse and show her how to have a better quality of life.” Sandra enrolled in the healthy pregnancy class, breastfeeding classes, and case management, which gave her the knowledge and tools to apply for housing, benefits, and medical care. “The classes were fun. I learned how to eat right, about “Sandra is an ambitious young woman,” said pregnancy and infants, and about Melisa. “She worked hard to beat the odds.” breast-feeding, which was something I had never even thought about before. It was so nice to get out, to be heard, to get feedback. I was able to get all of my questions answered, which was wonderful.” In focus | Project Independence How health care should be Communities, an innovative childcare program that allows babies to form a secure attachment to their mothers during the first three years of life while supporting the mother through her time in college. Sandra began her WEP work study over the summer and is currently enrolled as a full-time student at MCC. She is taking English, Math, and Child Development courses, and will have all the benefits of having her son by her side as she learns about early childhood development. “It’s a lot to balance, but I’m excited. When I’m not in class, I can be with Jonathan in day care and I absolutely love being with him! I am nervous about my Math class though, it’s going to be hard!” she laughed. “Sandra is an ambitious young woman,” said Melisa. “She worked hard to beat the odds of becoming a product of her childhood. She has dealt with a lot of pain, but I truly believe she will be able to help other women who walked down the same path she did as a young girl. Everyone at Healthy Start is so proud of her: she now has the wings she needs to fly solo.” After Sandra gave birth to her healthy son, Jonathan, in March, she began talking with Melisa about her future: “She said she wanted to offer her son the best childhood. She wanted to further her education and get a job.” And so she and the team at Healthy Start introduced Sandra to “Project Independence.” Funded by the generosity of the M&T Charitable Foundation, “Project Independence” is a program designed to help Healthy Start clients obtain and maintain employment through education and job coaching. Sandra worked with a job coach who walked her through the process of signing up for classes at Monroe Community College. She also enrolled in the College’s Work Experience Program (WEP) and Nurturing Sandra and her son, Jonathan Unity Health Foundation | (585)723-7050 | unityhealth.org/foundation | PAGE 14
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