Why the Y? Case Study

Nurturing

How the Y helped my family... Dana's story

“My wife died when my daughter was four years old.  It was a very difficult time for us; my wife had been sick for many months and I was very much in debt as a result of her illness.  Then, two months after she died, I lost my job and was really struggling with putting my life back together and taking care of Dana while looking for a new job. 

I relied on my family to help with Dana and that worked for awhile until I discovered that my brother-in-law had taken her to a crack den when I thought he was taking her to the park while I went on a job interview.  I was devastated.  I didn’t know where to turn; I couldn’t leave Dana any more because I couldn’t trust my family, but I couldn’t take her with me on interviews.  She needed a stable, happy environment – not one of upheaval and uncertainty.

And then I found the Y.  My neighbor suggested I ask the Y about child care.  I knew I’d never be able to afford it, but went anyway.  I was desperate.  When I told my story to the Y’s branch director, she said immediately, “Bring Dana here tomorrow.  We’ll make sure she’s safe and happy and we’ll worry about the paperwork later.  We’ll make it work for both of you.”

The Y saved my life, and Dana’s  I’m back at work now, and happy that Dana’s at the Y where not only is she safe, she learns something new every day, comes home with great art projects, talks about her Y friends constantly.  Sometimes I can’t get her to leave!  I don’t know where we would be without the Y.