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Mother of the Year Essay
My name is Loida Garza, and I want to tell you why alley’s house has changed my life.
I dropped out of high school in my freshman year and became pregnant soon after. My mom kicked me out of our apartment, so I moved in with my boyfriend. We got married when I turned 16. Our son Jacob was born two months pre-mature.
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After struggling with his early health issues, Jacob is now a healthy two-year old. Nine months ago I gave birth to our second son Fidel.
I saw alley’s house in a news story on TV. The story was about how alley’s house has programs for teen moms like me to help finish school and be mentored. So I looked it up online and called. I’ve been coming to alley’s house for five months now, and it’s so much more than I expected. Several times a week I pack up my boys and we take the 3-hour train ride to alley’s house from Fort Worth where we live. I come all the way from Fort Worth because alley’s house inspires me to believe in myself, and to create a better life for my kids.
Before alley’s house I wasn’t going anywhere. I was just another teen mother statistic. Now I have hopes and dreams. I want to be a nurse and work with premature babies.
I want to be there for mothers going through what I went through with my premature son. Your support of alley’s house supports my ability to achieve my dream and the dreams of other teen mothers.
Loida Fernandez-Garza 2009 Mother of the Year
