117 Stories

Story #103

Volunteering at Temple Beth El’s Mitzvah Day, I made my choice to come to Florence Crittenton. For four years my husband and I came on Sunday where we cooked (Phil barbequed hamburgers) while I helped serve lunch in the kitchen. We were a team with others from Beth El. I made cookies and so enjoyed helping the moms and moms to be with crafts after lunch.

I loved being able to be with the women and sometimes their babies as well. I enjoyed encouraging them in the projects we did. BINGO was a highlight for the women as we Temple Beth El volunteers brought baby gifts for the women as Bingo prizes.
It was a joyous time for all!

Betsy Garfinkle

Story #100

Time and Reason

With each passing moment,
each blinking eye,
every feeling of atonement,
every breath and every cry,
I realize that the Life I Live
is but a gift to me,
counting every mistake and every success
the young woman I have come to be.
Never let another Judge you,
or discourage the path you choose.
All things have time and reason,
as a sunset, or a rose.
I’ve Lived and Loved,
Loved and Lost,
Lost and Found again;
These times I fell and realized
I was my only friend
Yet I am strong, I am bold,
I am someone special,
all truths be told.
Tears may fall from weary eyes,
But the following morning brings perfection.
I am me, I am one of a kind,
I am the world, and the world is mine.

Poem written by a former FCS client. So beautiful!

B, 18: Turning Pages

B is 18 years old, only months out of 3 years of foster care. She had been sexually molested by her father for 11 years when authorities became aware of the horrific situation and DSS took her into their custody. Her mother was institutionalized in a mental hospital. When she was referred to the FCS maternity program, B was homeless , had been going days with very little food to eat, had not gotten prenatal care, and had been arrested for theft and forgery. During her stay, she received food, shelter, good prenatal care, counseling, and parenting classes. B delivered a healthy baby, and went to live with the father of her baby who successfully secured employment and housing and could provide a safe environment for B and their baby.

Story #98

This email was sent out to FCS staff today by our Residential Coordinator:

As most of you know, clients are asked to complete a consumer survey when they discharge from the agency. I want to share some of the feedback from one of the ladies who just discharged this week:

“Thanks for helping me all the staff and being here for me and even calling me out on my own mistakes and making me want to be a better me and a better mommy”

Just wanted to share this reminder of how important our mission is and how important each of you are in making this mission a reality for this young lady.

Story #97

Miracle Kick

You kick, and everything gets better. You bring love and joy to myself and everyone that comes in contact with you.

You kick, and I don’t remember all the negative things that the doctor told me. You are strong. I can feel it, and together we will over come anything.

You kick, and my dad calls and asks for us to work on having a relationship that was never there.

You kick, and your father decides to go to school and get on when everyone had stopped believing in him. You make him new and I see that. I love you, and don’t have to say anything. Its visible through your eyes. The both of you have a relationship that makes me happy and jealous.

You kick, and the world becomes a better place. You are a miracle and I’m honored to have you living inside me.

Written by former FCS client.

E, 24: Fighting the Demons

E was 24 years old and homeless when she entered FCS. She had been removed from her birth parents’ custody when she was an infant because of her parents’ drug abuse and domestic violence. She lived in foster care for the next 5 years before she was adopted. E is developmentally limited. She was gang raped by 6 men when she was 17 and had reoccurring nightmares about that attack. She dropped out of high school in 9th grade, suffered from depression and began to abuse drugs. She entered the Maternity Program reporting that she had stopped doing drugs but was having seizures and bad headaches, and on the Maternity Program’s admission for she wrote she had “no home.” E became an active participant in the Maternity Program. Her life situation stabilized and she stayed clean and sober. She ate regular meals, started keeping her room clean, and began to sleep well. She went to special school classes to help her prepare for taking her GED, and attended counseling sessions, substance abuse prevention/intervention groups, and in-house class sessions to learn parenting skills and early child development. She had been at FCS for 5 full months when her baby was born, drug free and healthy, and weighed 8lbs. and 11ozs. E released her healthy baby for adoption and reestablished a connection with her adoptive parents.

L, 13: Finding Herself

L was 13 years old when she was admitted to the maternity program last June. She remains in DSS custody due to the incarceration of both of her parents, as well as her maternal aunt and her brother. L’s mother and brother are both addicts. The brother is serving time for assaulting L while becoming enraged under the influence of narcotics. On the day that she was admitted, we took her to the emergency room to have staples removed from the head injury. She has had to testify in court and struggles with feeling responsible for his incarceration. L had been “home schooled” by her mother, but has made a successful transition to public school. She responds well to our structured and stable environment. She is well-behaved, compliant and respectful. She enjoys spending time in our vocational lab and hanging out with her friends. Despite her young age, she is a very nurturing mother to her son, and she loves to learn all that she can about parenting. She just turned 14 years old.

Story #93

Today is the day of FCS’s annual plant sale. Our amazing volunteers from the FCS Auxiliary host this sale every year and all of the proceeds go towards our scholarship program. Past and present residents from FCS are able to apply for scholarships to receive funding for secondary education. They have helped countless women go through college. We are honored to have the FCS Auxiliary supporting us and our residents in such a profound way. This is just one more example of not only our comprehensive services, but also our compassion and dedication to our clients’ success.

For more information on how to join our Auxiliary please click the link below.

Volunteer Positions & Opportunities

Story #92

One more healthy baby born last night!

Please congratulate J!! She welcomed her newborn son last night at 8:35. He weighed in at 7 lbs., 13 oz., with a length of 19 inches.

J, sends her thanks and says that she already misses everyone. I am certain, she will be missed…particularly the Kitchen staff, since she was a very good and helpful “dishwasher”!!! Thank you to everyone who had a part in making certain J felt welcomed here throughout her stay.

Thanks….

LilyAnn
Maternity Program Case Manager

S, 24: “Thank You”

“THANK YOU” …this expression of appreciation was voiced on many occasions by S, who entered the Maternity Program from a Shelter where she had been living after her situation with her boyfriend became unsafe. She was 24 years old, and a recently “clean” drug addict. While she was in the Maternity Program, S received intensive individual counseling, support through the CASCADES program (substance abuse treatment for women), and medical care. S’s words of thanks were also directed to agencies to which she was referred by FCS – Crisis Assistance Ministry and DSS. These agencies helped her to secure furniture (including a washer and a dryer) so that she could set up her apartment. Due to the appropriateness of her behavior and the active pursuit of her goals, FCS staff worked together to provide her with necessary items to fully furnish her home, and many items for her baby. S entered and completed a local Culinary Arts Program. This opportunity was a long-time dream for S, and the Florence Crittenton Staff believe she will be a very productive and positive member of the community as a result of her participation in the Maternity Program.