Amanda Ruiz knows there's no "perfect time" to start going after your dreams. All she wanted was a college degree, but life kept throwing obstacles in her path. Her father suffered permanent brain damage after being assaulted, and her mother was diagnosed with a brain tumor that same year. Meanwhile, Amanda was dealing with her own health issues on top of it all.
In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, all October long we are highlighting our nonprofit partners who work to provide resources to those affected by breast cancer as part of our monthly Spotlight Series.
The dictionary defines a gem as "a precious or semiprecious stone cut and polished for ornament." Another definition is "a highly prized or well-beloved person." Kendra Scott and her jewelry company value both of these definitions equally.
Simplicity Organizers is a nationally recognized professional organizing company that helps people focus on what matters most. They know that “When we let go of the unimportant, we have more time to enjoy the things we love” or, in the case of many of the local nonprofits they have helped with their services, it allows them to have more time to deal with the bigger fish they have to fry.
“I can honestly say, I wouldn’t be the same person without Florence Crittenton. Without all the support, without the many shoulders I needed to hold onto, because, I was very young, raising my daughter, but one thing I can say is I was never alone.”
Nikkia Barkley has been working since she was 15. Even when she was working in restaurants and retail stores, she had a vision of doing something different. When she got accepted to the University of Miami, she planned on studying computer engineering.
She decided to decline her admission offer when she learned she was expecting. She didn't want to take her son away from his father, and she was the caretaker for her mom, who was often sick.
To understand why Jeff Gordon Children's Foundation has been racing to end childhood cancer for 20 years, look at Merritt. She just turned two years old, but her smile will brighten even the darkest day. She's fighting Rhabdomyosarcoma, a cancer of soft tissues, and recently underwent surgery at Levine Children's Hospital here in Charlotte. But that doesn't stop her from laughing and making silly faces every chance she gets.
GATE Pregnancy Resource Center is a safe place for pregnant women and their partners to learn about their options, find supplies for their first year as parents, and gain the skills and knowledge to be confident moms and dads.
GATE stands for Giving, Assisting, Teaching and Empowering. Let's break down the four components of the services offered by GATE Pregnancy Resource Center.
GIVING love, compassion and resources
Picture a preschooler. Big grin, backpack twice their size, eyes wide open to the exciting world. When you're three and four years old, the future is limitless.
The wide-eyed preschoolers from the first graduating class of The Learning Collaborative are now in their mid-30s. Many of them have preschoolers of their own. That's how long TLC has been offering a high-quality early childhood education to underserved families in Charlotte.
