Group gives teen mothers a choice
Part of being a parent is making tough choices about what's best for your family, deciding how to strike a balance between immediate needs and visions of the future.
For teens with babies, the choices seem impossible.
If you stay in school, graduate and even get a college degree, you'll be better able to support your child and yourself. But who takes care of the little one while you're at school and studying?
If you drop out of school to care for the baby, how do you ever get the education that leads to the job that results in financial independence?
Moms In School aims to make it easier for teenage parents to commit to their education and all the benefits it will bring to their family down the road.
The program, based in a West Chicago church, offers day care during the school day for teen parents. The center charges based on the teen's ability to pay and helps teens apply for state subsidies, as needed.
Among the young moms and few dads who have used the day care, the teens' graduation rate is about 75 percent, program Director Tammy Bloom said. By comparison, fewer than 40 percent of high school students without such a program typically graduate, Bloom said.
Bloom tells us more about the efforts to help teen moms stay in school.
Q. What is your organization's mission? A. Moms In School is a state-licensed child-care center for teen parents. We offer an enriched child-care environment for children of students at any area high school. We believe that an investment in the education of the parents is an investment in the future well-being of the child. Education and the desire to learn trickle down to the entire family. We provide a caring and nurturing environment for babies and toddlers ages 6 weeks to 3 years.Q. How do you work toward accomplishing that goal? A. We maintain good relationships with the staffs of area high schools to ensure pregnant students consider the center for support rather than dropping out. In our center, we offer a nurturing environment and continue to offer new age-appropriate creative activities and learning toys. We also communicate with mothers, offering them practical advice about being a new parent.Q. Who do you serve?A. Any area high school student who needs child care to attend high school and has transportation to our center. Primarily, our students are from Community High School in West Chicago, but we have served others from DuPage and Kane counties.Q. When and why did the organization start? How has it grown? A. Established in 1992, the effort was led by DuPage County Special Education nurse Arlynn Grimm.Arlynn rose to the challenge of providing affordable child care for teen moms when one of her students could not get suitable day care for her baby. Arlynn conducted research on her own, only to discover that very few of the available caregivers wanted to deal with these young parents. Even though there was funding available, no one expressed interest in this unique circumstance.Lamenting the situation with Barbara Biles of the Department of Children and Family Services, Arlynn became inspired to change the system.Gaining support for beginning a day-care program from the Inter-Denominational Ministers Association of West Chicago allowed Arlynn to secure a site offered by the First United Methodist Church of West Chicago. The program obtained federal not-for-profit status. A grant from DCFS and a license was procured. A board of directors was formed on May 31, 1992, consisting of area church members.Q. What kind of successes have you had? A. Since 1992, 163 mothers and a few fathers utilized the center at least for some of their high school time. We have had 99 high school graduates and more than 40 went on to college. Our graduation rate has been about 75 percent for the last several years. The best "benchmark" data we can obtain indicates that typically 33 percent to 40 percent of teen parents graduate.Q. What challenges does the organization face? A. We are always facing financial challenges.Q. What do you wish the community at large knew about the organization? A. How dedicated our high school students are to earn a high school diploma.Q. How can readers get involved? A. Attend fundraisers, offer donations, visit the center to read to a child or rock a baby, become a board member.Vital statsBudget: $87,000Funding: Illinois Department of Health Services subsidy per child, donations, grants; fundraisers include two large events and dinner nights at area restaurantsEmployees: 2 full-time, 2 part-time, as needed per enrollment Volunteers: 8 board members, 1 high school helperWish list: Monetary donations, grocery store gift cards, office supplies, craft supplies and donations of commonly used items, including tissues, latex gloves, diapers, baby wipes, infant water, jar baby food, garbage bags, bleach wipes and liquid bleach, finger foods and whole milk. Next major fundraiser: A bake sale as part of the First United Methodist/First Congregational Church Rummage Sale Aug. 13 and 14.To donateDrop-off: 643 E. Washington St., West ChicagoMail: P.O. Box 258, West Chicago, IL 60186To volunteer Volunteers are needed to rock babies, read to toddlers, help at lunch, or serve on the board.Call: Tammy Bloom, (630) 231-0231E-mail: momsinschoolwc@yahoo.comInfoPhone: (630) 231-0231Website: firstumcucc.org/momsinschool.htm