Breaking the cycle

When Foxaleece McGee became a single mother to her son, she found herself unsure of the best way to care for him and herself while obtaining an education.
Years earlier, McGee had heard about the Jeremiah Program (JP) in Minneapolis, which works to end generational poverty for single mothers and their children by helping them earn college degrees. The program’s two Twin Cities campuses each offer fully furnished, affordable housing units and an on-site child development center, said Raevhann Rush, family services director at the Minneapolis location.
After four years at the Minneapolis campus (1510 Laurel Ave.), McGee is preparing to graduate with an associate degree in liberal arts with an emphasis in social work. Her son is ready for kindergarten, and she now has a 14-month-old daughter and a loving partner.
“I am surprised at the person I am now,” she said. “I feel like now I can go out there and not be so angry at the world and just know that I’m better than how I grew up, and that I deserve more than how I grew up.”
Founded in 1993 in Minneapolis, the Jeremiah Program centers on the idea that education is a form of economic mobility, said Rush. Around 37% of single mothers and children live below the poverty line, according to JP’s website. Over 4,000 moms have been helped through the program, which has now expanded to operate nine campuses nationwide.
Those locations include both residential campuses that provide on-site services and non-residential programs that connect families to community resources, said Mary Jo Long, executive director of the St. Paul campus (932 Concordia Ave). The Twin Cities campuses provide life coaching and cover out-of-pocket costs for mental health services for mothers and children.
The program focuses on serving mothers with children under five years old, often the most expensive years to raise a child, said Jo Long. The campuses are preparing for their annual fundraising Bash on Nov. 8, which supports continued programming and resources.
The first step to entering the program is a 12-week empowerment course where women get to know each other, build identity, and reflect, Jo Long said. The women can then choose whether or not to enter the program. Women stay up to four years when completing an associate’s degree and up to six for a bachelor’s degree.
With the help of McGee’s life coaches, McGee said the logistics of enrolling in college, including things such as how to get books, felt manageable for the first time. Her son attends the on-site early education center, and she has noticed her own dedication to learning rubbing off on him.
“He’ll be like, ‘Oh, I’m doing homework,’ and he’s seen me do it, so he knows that he can do it too,” she said. “He’s really smart, and I give it all to the daycare. He listens more, and he communicates a lot better with his words.”
McGee said she has been able to focus more on her emotional wellness. The annual JP summit includes various workshops and brings together women enrolled in JP nationwide. One year, it had a mindfulness workshop that stuck with her.
“I try to eat and shower mindfully and just be in the moment,” she said.
The campus hosts and promotes events and activities, McGee said. There are pumpkin patches, photo shoots and a holiday gift sponsorship program where families adopt Jeremiah Program moms and their kids.
“My biggest fear was being unable to take care of them, being in situations where I was stagnant and just living and couldn’t give them experiences like the way I grew up,” McGee said. “I don’t want to just survive. I want to be able to live, educate my kids and show them different things.”
Each campus also has a community room that can be reserved for private celebrations. It host events such as monthly community dinners, giving moms a chance to take a break from cooking. Nicollete Hill, who arrived at the St. Paul campus eight months ago, is planning a Halloween-themed birthday party in the community room for her five-year-old daughter.
“I’m able to support her more here than I ever have been able to,” she said.
When Hill became pregnant with her daughter at 18, she was in an abusive relationship. She was working two jobs in a small town, and in the process of finishing her high school diploma. Hill grew up below the poverty line and felt stuck, she said.
Now 23, Hill is the first in her family to attend college, working towards finishing her bachelor’s degree and owning a business.
“The impact of JP has transformed my way of thinking,” she said. “I’ve always wanted that stability and to be able to provide financially for my daughter in the future.”
She said JP has given her the tools and community to help shape and build a vision for herself and her daughter’s future.
“With the community that’s here, it is just reaffirming that I’m in the right place,” she said. “It really creates a sisterhood. I wouldn’t give it up for the world.”
Shay Scanlan is a junior studying journalism at the University of Minnesota.