Feature #1 - Imagine
finding yourself as a single parent caring for three young children with no
job, no family, and no help in sight. For a growing number of women,
this is real life.
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Family Care Ministry Helps Single Mom Jamie to Develop Self-Confidence For Jamie, life as a single mother without a dependable home and custody of her two precious daughters are in the past. Jamie now has help at Alabama Baptist Children's Homes to stabilize hers and her children's lives. In December 2003, Jamie had had enough of not knowing where she would be living next. She had bounced from one friend's house to another friend's house too many times. Through Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR) placement of Jamie's daughters in foster care with the Children's Homes, this desperate mom learned about the ministry's Family Care program. Jamie went to live at the Family Care home in Alabaster on a temporary basis, and she began to work with houseparent Linda Haynes, social worker Jennifer Ervin, and professional counselor Ashley Alvarado. The arrangement enabled Jamie to regain custody of her two daughters, ages 3 years and 4 years.
One of the primary goals of Family Care is to help single moms like Jamie to find steady employment and learn to live on a strict, financial budget. Jamie needed to find a job where she could earn enough money to support her family but still have time to care for her girls.
According to Mike, since Jamie has been a supervisor she and her crew have had excellent time standards. She has been diligent and responsible, and her crew's work has been impressive. "Working for Mike and being involved in the Family Care program have helped my children and me, not only financially but also emotionally," Jamie says. "I used to take the easy way out and just live with whoever would take me and my girls into their home. Now I want to do more for my children." |
"Linda, Jennifer, and
Ashley have been major sources of emotional support for me," Jamie
says. "Every time I turn around, they tell me how proud they are of
me." While waiting for Jamie to ask them for help, Linda and her
husband James have taught her to manage her household and properly
care for her children. They have been a major influence in Jamie and
her daughters becoming involved in a church where they find
additional emotional support.
Mike Wilson, owner and operator of
Mr. Kleanze Professional Cleaning Services in Birmingham, became
familiar with the Children's Homes when he heard a ministry
representative speak at a meeting of Business Network International
(BNI). Wanting to partner with the Children's Homes to help single
mothers, Mike was quickly encouraged by Jamie's enthusiasm and prior
experience with cleaning homes. Her qualifications led to Mike
employing her. Mike says that he was immediately impressed
with Jamie's intelligence. "During the interview process, I
could see that there was something clicking behind her eyes, and
that was something I don't see often," Mike recalls. From her
first day of work, Jamie has exceeded Mike's expectations. She has
conscientiously performed general cleaning duties while paying
special attention to detail.
DHR restrictions and requirements caused scheduling difficulties at
Jamie's work, but Mike was flexible enough to allow her to begin
working four days a week and have Mondays off to schedule
appointments, run household errands, and have special time with the
children. As a result, Jamie's consistency increased and her
dedication to her work showed so much that Mike promoted her to crew
supervisor. "My doubts were put to rest during an all-staff
meeting where Jamie kind of became the spokeswoman for her crew
members who had some issues that needed to be resolved," Mike says.
"Jamie was tactful, yet not afraid to speak up. She is
definitely management material because she gets along with her crew
and communicates well with them and with me."
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