I Can't Believe I Did It!
The amazing thing about Amy is her heart. She loves her kids to the moon and believes that whatever comes her way, she can make a positive difference in the lives of others. And lucky for Phoenix, a chance encounter with a stranger led her through our doors.
Willing to do what it takes so that her kids have a chance to succeed and soar has brought Amy to places she never imagined. She left a hard relationship with few resources and little support because she believed that the health of her children depended on a fresh start. She joined the Phoenix Parent Support Program because she believed that being a great mom meant learning about herself, new skills and how to strengthen the relationships in her life. Being a mother of small children is a challenging job for anyone and with limited resources it can seem almost impossible.
But Amy has been more than just a great mom. She attended the Transition Program at the Phoenix Learning and Employment Centre and used her experiences to springboard into work and back to school. She’s now upgrading her courses with the goal of being accepted into the practical nursing program at NSCC. She wants to have a career where she can use her life experiences and many skills to help others.
Recently, Amy was the keynote speaker at the Women of Excellence Awards dinner in Halifax where she shared her story with more than 700 people. Though nervous at first, Amy described the overall experience as a moment of gratefulness since she felt that “all of those women had helped me, even if they had never met me.”
Amy embodies the strength, resilience and the hope of the youth who come through Phoenix each day. Faced with innumerable obstacles, these youth find opportunities and roads where few exist. As staff and volunteers, we are privileged to walk with them and help open the doors they need.
“If I saw myself four years ago,” says Amy, “I wouldn’t even recognize that person. I’ve grown up so much and my experiences have helped me take negative things and make them positive, which is something that I want to pass on to my children.”
