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.
At age 18, she was diagnosed with Crohn's disease—an illness with no cure and potentially life-threatening complications. All of these health problems wiped out the family's savings and forced Amanda to drop out of East Carolina University. "We lost our house, boat, cars and any security I ever felt," says Amanda.
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.
Did you know? 1 in 8 women in the United States will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. This makes breast cancer the second most common cancer among women, coming in close behind skin cancer. To put it in perspective, on average, every two minutes another woman is diagnosed, every two minutes someone’s world is completely rocked.
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.
Creating timeless and broadly appealing jewelry is Kendra Scott's specialty, and the company excels at it. Just check out the "Caught you in your Kendra" posts on the @kendrascott Instagram account to see celebrities sporting Kendra Scott pieces.
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.”
The above quote is from Lanitta, a Florence Crittenton graduate, from her interview on Fox 46 Charlotte. Bringing life into the world is an incredible experience for a woman. But, it can also be scary without the support of friends, family, and community. Florence Crittenton understands this and that’s why their services go beyond just pregnancy support to include post-birth support.
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.
Fast-forward 20 years to the end of 2018. Nikkia and her husband had four more children, and, although he was disabled with liver issues, her husband did everything he could to support the family.
After three transplants, doctors told Nikkia's husband that there was nothing more they could do. That's when Nikkia and her husband had to start talking about a possible future without him.
Pregnant in college could mean a dream deferred. But instead of exploding dreams, the visionaries at Belmont Abbey College and MiraVia, have created a stopgap for pregnant students to not only help them finish college but to counsel them towards achieving short-term goals building to long-term goal-setting like financial independence and career plans. It’s not as technical as much as it is community; a community, in fact, where young mothers can still have dance parties in their pjs after nursing their infants and posting assignments after pulling overnighters...writing papers. MiraVia is about loving fully and well, being the Plan B for those reconsidering education after an unexpected pregnancy and opening their doors to shared resources with young moms.
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.
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.
We have so much great news to share from our nonprofit partners about their amazing work. But, we'd love to hear from you. Let us know if you have stories you'd like to tell and we'll make you a guest blogger!!
d for ornament." Another definition is "a highly prized or well-beloved person." 
gnant 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. 
nd four years old, the future is limitless.