Page 12 - 2020_CFS_AnnualReport

WHEN
LUCY’S STORY
Sometimes it is easy to take much for granted in our lives. Good health, a steady income, an ample supply of food, and a roof over our heads are just a few of the things that come to mind. Now imagine being so poor that you could not afford a pair of shoes until after your 15th birthday.
WRAP-
In 2017, Lucy* left Guatemala and trav- eled to the United States in search of a better life for herself and her two children. Growing up in Guatemala, school was never an option because her parents needed their daughter to work to make ends meet. In helping her family financially, Lucy wasn’t privileged to receive an education. As a result, she is still to this day unable to read or write in English or Spanish. The only skill that Lucy possessed was her ability to sew.
home visits with her Family Advocate. She looked upon these visits as a valu- able opportunity to learn more about good parenting and child development.
The Family Advocate encouraged her to read to her son. However, Lucy was concerned about her inability to read. The Family Advocate reassured her that the most important thing was to expose her son to words by simply pointing to pictures. As Eric grew older, she began to set aside a portion of the day for “storytime,” an activity that soon became “family time” when her older daughter gladly helped to read to her little brother.
When Eric was three years old, mom was so excited to witness her son’s ability to speak the languages of Quiche Dialecto, Spanish, and English. Research has shown that being bilin- gual or multilingual can have practical benefits that positively affect cognitive abilities. This improvement in cognitive
AROUND
SERVICES
Upon arriving in Rhode Island, Lucy learned about Children’s Friend and how this organization helps to ensure the well-being and healthy develop- ment of vulnerable young children and their families. She immediately enrolled her ten-month-old son, Eric*, within the Early Head Start Program at Children’s Friend. Comforted that her son was now in a caring and nurturing environment for learning, she was committed and enjoyed the frequent Early Head Start
ARE
NEEDED...
[ 12 ] LIFELINES