Beyond In My Shoes

In Bridges Out of Poverty, Dr. Ruby Payne outlines nine key resources that those in poverty often go without. Contrary to popular opinion, these go far beyond finances. They include financial resources, sure. Equally important, however, are the emotional, mental, spiritual and physical resources, as well as support systems, healthy relationships, knowledge of hidden rules, and coping strategies. For someone to break the cycle and rise out of poverty, all nine resources need to be addressed. All nine resources are needed to lead a healthy, poverty-free life. 

Most of our residents leave In My Shoes having built up these resources. They leave having found jobs, and built up savings, having purchased a vehicle, and locating stable housing. They leave after attending counseling, developing new coping skills, and starting the healing process. They leave after learning life skills, setting healthy boundaries, and building new healthy relationships within our In My Shoes community, and in their families. They are ready to lead a poverty-free life.

Even after all this growth, stabilization and empowerment, when our residents leave our home and physical community, they don’t stop needing a support system and healthy relationships. They still need a village, a community – like we all do. That is why we at In My Shoes decided to throw a Mother’s Day Picnic this year. Each of our 48 past residents were invited to come celebrate with our current moms and staff. We wanted to celebrate our ever-growing community, the gift of their motherhood, and the huge leaps these women have made in the lives of themselves and their children. 

So, on May 1^st, in defiance of the threat of rain, our current moms, an alumni mom and staff, and some volunteers got together to do just that. Thanks to our wonderful benefactors, we had a complete picnic, with burgers, hot dogs, and all the fixings. There was some friendly competition with yard games like Cornhole (shout out to the victors, our Executive Director, Maria and a current mom!), and Giant Jenga.  Our moms also got to decorate flower pots with their babies’ hand and foot prints, and plant pretty succulents. It was a great day to celebrate what makes In My Shoes special.

Events like this are so critical to the mission of In My Shoes. We see our purpose as to restore and prepare women to be who God created them to be, and God did not create us to be alone. Community, and relationships matter to our health, well-being, and life!

We are so grateful for our alumni moms for the example they set, the strength they embody, and the love they have shared with us. Here’s to many more events with our mamas, past and present.