In 2020, Christine Pham gave birth to her first child, Mynkah. Despite the unavoidable chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic, the only worry on Pham’s mind was how—as a single mom and full-time student–she would provide the best possible life for her son.

“It was the craziest experience ever because again, like I’m a first-time mom. And so, I didn’t know anything about anything when it came to raising a child and being a mother,” Pham said.

The first in her family to graduate high school and attend college, Pham was studying management information systems at Austin Community College and working as a technician at Apple before Mynkah arrived. When he was born, Pham realized she was meant to make a difference in another way: nursing.

When Pham went into labor, she arrived at the hospital only to find the doors were locked due to COVID-19 protocols. After several minutes of uncertainty, she said it was the nurses who made sure she was allowed into the hospital and was properly cared for.

“I was 10 centimeters dilated. I was on my knees, standing in front of those doors, banging on it telling them to let me in because I was about to give birth right now,” Pham said. “But, you know, it was the nurses [who helped], right? They really did everything they could to make sure that I was OK.”

The eye-opening experience gave Pham the reassurance she needed to pursue a career in nursing. She promptly switched her major at ACC and set out to earn a Bachelor of Nursing degree, but was still unsure how she would take care of her son, work and succeed in a rigorous class schedule simultaneously. Then, she learned about United Way for Greater Austin’s Parenting Students Project.

“I heard about United Way through a student advocate. I remember just telling her where I am, like my circumstances and everything and she was like, ‘Oh, you’re a mom. This program would be great for you,’” Pham said.

The Parenting Students Project provides parenting students ages 18-29 with financial incentives to accelerate their post-secondary education. Full-time students earn up to $6,000 per year and meet regularly with other parenting peers, in addition to receiving support from ACC’s Student Advocacy Center, such as child care scholarships, emergency cash assistance, advising, tutoring and other services.

“This funding has helped me tremendously. It provided additional finances for me. I would not be able to afford the opportunity to be a single mom, go to school full time and just make ends meet,” Pham said. “It has helped me to have the necessities for my son, and especially with the current times. Even post-COVID, nothing is certain. You’re just dealing with ambiguity every day in all aspects of life, because you never really know what to expect anymore.”

Pham receives a $500 stipend each month from the Parenting Students Project, which she uses to pay for groceries and necessities for now 2-year-old Mynkah. Pham said the additional funds have prevented her from having to choose between working full time to provide for her family and finishing school.

“It does provide extra security. The money can go to provide food, diapers, anything he can possibly need—and so it has been a huge blessing,” Pham said. “ ... A lot of the time you have to choose what’s best for you and your family, and that could just mean postponing your education and just working and working and working. But in the long run, that may not be the best outcome, right?”

The goal of the Parenting Students Project is to help individuals to stay on an educational path until ultimately reaching living wage employment. Combating issues like a lack of child care, the inability to rebound from costly emergencies and family financial responsibilities, the program helps parenting students break the cycle of poverty for their children.

“It’s this program that can be a catalyst to achieving my dream of becoming a nurse or achieving another parent’s dream of finishing their education so that they can ultimately better their circumstances for themselves, but most importantly for their children to get out of that poverty line, that generational poverty line,” Pham said. “Because if you’re able to get that education, then you’re already putting yourself—and most importantly, your children—in a better place financially.”

The Parenting Students Project is just one of United Way for Greater Austin’s programs, which are aimed at seeking solutions for the systemic problems that have kept generations of families impoverished.

Through a network of nonprofit groups, elected officials, business leaders, local experts, and community leaders, United Way gives people access to basic necessities: food, education, housing, health care, employment and child care. While driving systems-level change, United Way aims to shape the Central Texas region into one where everyone can reach their full potential.

“Even if it’s just $500 to some people, it can mean the world to others. And it can be the very thing that pushes them to complete their education,” Pham said. “Yes, everybody has so much on their plate, but for somebody who is also a parent, and they’re trying to finish their education ... This would be something that could help them accelerate through their education because it provides that cushion.”

The Parenting Students Project is led by Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Expanding Opportunities for Young Families initiative, and is supported by Advance Together and American Rescue Plan Act funds from the city of Austin. Additionally, donations are key to United Way for Greater Austin’s mission and making a lasting impact in the lives of local community members.

“Being in school and working and being a mother, it’s a lot. But I always like to remind myself, if not now—then when? It’s cliche, but it does take a village. Especially with everything that has happened in this world, we all need one another,” Pham said.

Ready to learn more about United Way for Greater Austin? Visit its website at unitedwayaustin.org to discover more about its poverty-fighting work throughout the region and the Parenting Students Project, or click here to make a donation now and contribute to community members reaching their full potential.

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