Chelsea's Story
I was just 15 years old when I dropped out of high school…
I was dealing with school bullies, so I wasn’t attending much. Then, my mom suddenly got really sick. It was just her and I living in Sudbury. I felt like I had no one to talk to and I was trying to cope with these big life issues, all alone. I had a hard time handling strong emotions, so I started to use substances, just to get through my day-to-day life.
And then, shortly after I turned 20, my mom became palliative and went into the hospital. I stayed with her day and night, but when the hospital staff found out that I was using substances, they gave me an ultimatum – either stop using, or stop coming… I knew at that moment all that mattered was to be with my mom. So, after about a week of struggling alone through the horrible effects of withdrawal, I am proud to say I got sober. I went back to the hospital to be with my mom for a couple of weeks before she passed away. To this day, I think she was waiting until she knew that I would be okay, before she left me.
Today, I’m 26 years old and have two children, Lilith (who we call Lily) and Lincoln. I know for a fact that if I didn’t find Youville Centre five years ago – I wouldn’t be where I am today…
Before I tell you about my life at Youville, I’d like to personally thank you.
I agreed to tell my story, so that I could express my gratitude to you.
Each and every donor and supporter of Youville is changing and saving the lives of two generations.
Without the generous support from people like you, Youville just wouldn’t exist. And I can’t even begin to imagine what our lives would be without it.
I hope you will consider giving a special one-time Christmas gift to Youville Centre today, to help other young moms and their babies who are struggling right now, just like I was before coming to Youville.
Your gift right now will help so many other young moms receive the support and resources they need to create a brighter tomorrow and a better life for two generations.
Bailey, my ex-boyfriend and father of my two children, is still very much in our lives. We’re not together right now, but he’s still my best friend and we care about each other a lot. We met when we were just kids ourselves – around 13 years old! We lost touch and then found each other again when we were 20. That’s when I got pregnant with my first child Lily, just months after losing my mom and moving back to Ottawa.
My daughter Lily is five years old and she’s incredibly smart. She has a really big personality – a lot of sass! She’s so good at reading already and she’s kind, funny and really social. My son Lincoln is three years old and he’s not as social as Lily, but he’s extremely independent. He’s such a sweet boy and he’s also so funny.
I first heard about Youville Centre from Bailey’s foster mom. Her biological daughter had attended Youville with her daughter and she talked about how wonderful this place was for months before we actually decided to give it a try.
After I registered, I began to discover that other people in my life had also attended Youville – including my children’s grandmother, Bailey’s mom. She even has Youville graduation pictures up on her wall – talk about a full circle moment!
It was definitely a comforting feeling, knowing that other people in my life had attended and graduated from Youville. Because when I first started, I was nervous and anxious. I’m not great with new places and people, but within the first week of being here I already adored my teachers. And within the first two weeks, I had made new friends.
The Child Development Program has been a life-saver. The educators helped Lily develop her social skills. She just loves being around people. Any time she meets someone new, she’ll run around saying “Oh, I love them – they’re my best friend now!” Now she’s in school, but I still have Lincoln enrolled in the Child Development Program and it’s a huge weight off my shoulders, knowing that he’s being well-taken care of while I attend school upstairs.
In addition to learning new songs, arts and crafts, the educators at Youville have taught my kids so much through the years – they’re amazing with every child, so patient and kind.
Youville has many extracurricular programs and courses that we can enroll in, to learn more about parenting and get a chance to socialize with each other and our babies. I really enjoy the parenting program called Make the Connection. They teach us about our attachment styles and relationships with our children.
Youville Centre is the most incredible place. They’re helping us with our mental health and our education and they’re also helping us connect better with our children.
It’s also really nice to have other young moms here who I can relate to. We have a real sense of community at Youville. We see each other going through similar things that we’re going through, or have gone through, and we help each other.
And my own teachers are awesome. If I’m having trouble getting through a course, they will sit down and work with me one-on-one, to help me get through whatever I’m struggling with. I’m behind on my schooling because of the pandemic and my maternity leaves, but if I continue on the pace that I’m on now, by the end of 2023 I’ll be able to graduate!
Something that I’m most proud of learning at Youville is my ability to handle difficult situations…
I used to either lash out or shut down. My counsellor has empowered me to talk about my emotions and work through them. I’ve learned techniques and coping skills that are enabling me to become more resilient. I’ve been able to handle things in life that I definitely would not have gotten through a few years ago.
If I didn’t have access to a place like Youville, I never would have received the mental health support that I needed, my kids never would have received such wonderful childcare and I know for certain I would have been too overwhelmed to work on obtaining my high school diploma.
I’ve been without my mom for six years now. It never gets easier, but now that I’m a mom myself, I’m trying to recreate the traditions and memories that my own mom gave me.
I’m really looking forward to the holidays this year, so that my kids and I can decorate the Christmas tree together, just like mom and I used to do. I tried last year, but I think they were a bit too young still because for every ornament we put on, they pulled off another six!
Another fun thing that my mom and I would do around the holidays was to buy a stack of Christmas cards. We’d sit by our decorated tree, listening to the old Christmas crooner songs by Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby, and fill out cards for everyone in our lives – our friends, family and neighbours. My mom instilled in me the gift of showing gratitude.
And right now, I have so much to be grateful for. I want to thank people like you for helping Youville be a place of solace and hope for all of the moms and babies.
I can tell you that your caring donation to Youville is going somewhere that’s making a real and genuine difference in people’s lives.
I wanted to share my story today, because I want you – Youville’s donors and supporters – to see first-hand how your generosity is truly changing so many lives.
I never knew a place like this even existed, so another goal in writing this letter is to educate young moms on what’s available for them. I want them to know that they’re never alone…
If you’re a young mom and you’re going through something right now, there’s a place where you can go. There’s a place that is completely dedicated to helping you be a better mom, get your education, while receiving supportive counselling and dedicated childcare. And that place is Youville.
Your gift to Youville isn’t just helping someone get their education and have somewhere to leave their children for the day – your donation is making our lives substantially better.
I would even say that when you give to Youville, you’re saving so many of us. A lot of us moms would be stuck without Youville. We would be in a terrible place mentally, and even physically, without the supportive environment here.
Simply put, when you give to Youville, you are the person who is holding out your hand, offering support to a young mom in need.
Thank you for caring about us and for giving my children and I a better tomorrow.
Chelsea,
Youville Centre client and mom to Lilith (5 years) and Lincoln (3 years)
P.S. Please consider a special Christmas donation today to help young moms like me complete their high school education and receive the mental health and parenting support they need to reach their full potential in life. And remember, when you give to Youville, you’re helping two generations. Happy Holidays!
P.P.S. This is your last chance to give in 2022 and make a meaningful impact in the lives of so many young moms and their babies right here in Ottawa.
All donations made by December 31st qualify for a 2022 tax receipt – please give as generously as you can!
If you would like to support us with a financial donation, please visit our Canada Helps page here