In the early weeks of summer, after escaping domestic violence in Texas, a mother fled to New Orleans with her three children and began the difficult work of rebuilding their lives. Her first connection to Boys Town Louisiana came through Early Head Start, when she reached out for childcare.
During the enrollment process, Early Head Start Enrollment Specialist Sabrina Johnson realized that the family needed more than childcare. She connected the mother with Boys Town Louisiana’s Care Coordination team, where Care Coordination Consultant Marquita Alexander began working with her to identify the family’s most immediate needs.
“With our parents from Early Head Start, our number one job is to see how we can assist families in getting back on their feet,” said Tracy Pittman, Director of Care Coordination Services. “This was a family of four who had fled domestic violence. The first priority was making sure the family was safe and that their immediate needs were met.”
Those needs included everything from hygiene products and healthcare to housing, school supplies, vital records, and help finding employment. Marquita worked closely with Early Head Start Family Support Specialist Danita Bright to begin connecting the family with resources right away.
Some of that support came from within Boys Town, and some came through relationships the team had built throughout the community. A local barber provided haircuts for the children and donated school supplies. The mother was connected with employment resources through Goodwill and professional clothing through Dress for Success. Staff also helped her replace birth certificates and other important documents, work through housing needs, and prepare the children for school.
“I’m so proud of the team because they hit the ground running, especially when there are such dire needs,” Tracy said. “They’ve built their own relationships with a range of resources, people, and agencies they know they can call on. They are proactive, caring, and intentional about making sure families are safe and their needs are met.”
Today, all three children are enrolled in school, and the family continues working with Boys Town as their mother pursues employment and builds greater stability in New Orleans.
For Tracy, that continued support is just as important as responding to the initial crisis.
“The job is to empower families to be self-sufficient,” she said. “We want them to be able to use their voice and navigate different systems. We’re not just helping with what they need today. We’re helping them learn how to do that for themselves moving forward.”
What began with a mother looking for childcare became a connection to a much broader network of support. By working across Early Head Start, Care Coordination, and community partners, the Boys Town Louisiana team was able to respond to what this family needed in the moment while helping their mother build the tools and connections she can continue to draw on in the future.