Desiree had her first child at the age of 19 and is now the proud mother of six and grandmother of one. “My kids are my everything,” says Desiree. However, raising six kids is not always easy.
Desiree’s first relationship was a difficult one. “I knew my girls were looking at me for the standard on how they should be treated. I was the example,” shares Desiree. She knew she wanted something different for them and left the relationship.
Her family stepped in to help where they could, caring for the children as Desiree balanced three part-time jobs. Recognizing that she needed to build her marketable skills in order to better support her family, Desiree added school to an already busy parenting and work schedule and eventually earned an accounting degree.
Even with help and hard work, it’s not always easy to make ends meet. There were times that Desiree had to choose between paying her bills and feeding her kids. “Sometimes to buy coats in the winter, I would have to buy one a month and take that money from the power bill payment I was going to make,” she shares. During this time, Desiree counted on MSC’s energy assistance program and the food bank to get her through. “It was a relief to know I had MSC to rely on to help me. I knew I’d be okay.”
As Desiree earned her degree and gained experience, her income steadily rose. However, as happens with many families, each increase in income resulted in a decrease in benefits. A wage increase would result in an almost equal decrease in housing support. And just when she began to earn enough that she no longer qualified for the state health insurance, she was diagnosed with cancer.
Once again, she was faced with difficult choices. Paying her bills or purchasing medication. MSC’s energy department was there to help her once again, providing the assistance she needed during a time when no one should have to face financial challenges.
In 2019, Desiree joined the MSC staff as the payroll and GL accountant. “I had always wanted to work at MSC,” she shares. Several years ago when she participated in DSHS’s WorkFirst program, she spent some time at MSC helping to set up the computer lab. “At that time I remember thinking it was amazing to see how much was actually being done to help people, and how much actually goes into providing services to people every day,” she shares.
Being a role model to her children has been the driving force behind what Desiree has been able to accomplish. “Being a mom is the most important thing I’ll ever do,” she shares. Each day at MSC, she knows she is supporting other mothers who are facing the same challenges that she once did.
