“I would like to begin by saying thank you to God, thank you to all of the wonderful people who decided to come to this brunch, thank you to A Lighted Path, and thank you to Main Street Ministries for making this possible.

My name is Shelby and I have one question.

Do you remember when you first moved out on your own? I just recently was able to move into my first apartment. This comes after a life in foster care that was bound by struggles and successes.

I remember getting the keys in my hand and opening the door at my amazing apartment. The feeling was very surreal. I finally had reaped the seeds I had sown for so many years from an abused kid to a troublesome teen to now being a mature woman who believes that success is the only answer.

Much of my success comes from others helping me through the times when I needed it most.

I had to learn lessons early on in life that were not lessons pertaining to success.

These lessons definitely built strength, grit, and the ability to overcome anything I truly wanted to. However, my parents didn’t teach me the critical lessons necessary to be successful. This may be contributed to the fact that they weren’t successful themselves, and they grew in a life that they had only known to live. My father being abusive and now thankfully incarcerated and my mother being drug addicted and dying at the age of 30.

I understand now why resources such as Main Street Ministries are important to society as a whole because it contributes to a better future. As long as the people that are going to be part of the future are well equipped, and well prepared for those successes necessary.

It truly does take a village to raise a child, and no matter where you start in life there’s always a point in which you can grow as if you’re a child growing into adulthood.

Main Street Ministries had an 18-week-long course that contributed to a substantial amount of growth in my own personal life. This course had life skills that have helped me move into my own apartment, and be more secure in my own understanding of how to navigate the world. In this course, I learned how to budget, including the rule that concludes no more than 30% of your income should be allocated to rent or mortgage.

I learned about economic social classes, and how at different levels interactions can change. Introductions can be very different amongst a wealthier class to a low income class. This course taught that it is critical to know how to communicate and acknowledge the unspoken rules of society.

We got to do lessons that were engaging, which I believe helped me memorize and apply my new knowledge.

I was able to talk and elaborate on points made by other members, and we had productive conversations around the table. I learned about the importance of networking in which productive conversation plays a role.

I also learned a great deal about psychology, and how to better understand myself and how the brain works.  

To be able to understand something means that you’re able to effectively work with what you have.

I affirmed my knowledge of envisioning a future through a vision board created in one of the meetings.

Main Street Ministries also provided knowledge on how it’s important to build credit, save for emergencies, and to invest and save for retirement.

Main Street ministries provided us gift cards every week to use towards our groceries, which enabled me to practice grocery shopping on a budget.

We even got a Chromebook that I plan to use for school in the fall semester.

These life skills and how to use these skills wouldn’t have been available if it wasn’t for these resources provided by wonderful people who believe in lifting each other up.

I personally could’ve easily ended up being a statistic. By the age of 21 around 70% of foster kids will either have had a problem with being homeless, have had a substance addiction, or have been incarcerated. 

I credit God, my relentless ambition, resources and the loving support that I have received over the years to me not falling through the cracks.

I’m so grateful for the opportunity that I have been given to be a part of the Main Street ministries program, and I’m grateful to know all of the successful people who contributed to my transition to independently living in adulthood.

I asked the question earlier do you remember when you first moved out?

I asked this because I’m certain that you would not be in the position that you are in today without the supported help, and the guidance of others that led you there even though it took personal choices and hard work.

I’d like to end by saying we are all in this together, and no matter where you come from or what your life is like now we all share the same human experience of living, breathing, and dying on the earth and what happens in between is what makes the difference.”