Ali Fraser and her three daughters left a dysfunctional home in hopes of building a better life for themselves in Kelowna.
As a single mother, Fraser knew it would be difficult but didn’t realize how lucky she was to find a support system and the financial assistance necessary to make it all possible, according to the YMCA.
“I moved my kids away from the only home they had ever known,” she said. “I didn’t know exactly what we would do once we arrived. The staff and the financial assistance we received at the Y saved us.”
Related: YMCA opens child care centre
With a plan to go back to school to set her family up for the future, Fraser was thankful to find affordable care for her daughters through YMCA Little Scholars Child Care.
“Right away, we felt welcome, accepted and safe, which has made such a big difference for the girls,” she said. “I’ve noticed positive changes in each of them, my oldest gets in trouble less and they are truly happy now. The staff at the Y became our extended family when we needed it most.”
The financial assistance provided through the YMCA of Okanagan made it possible for Fraser to afford care for her girls so she could pursue her education, according to the YMCA.
“I am so grateful for the Y. I don’t know what I would have done without their support and the donors who make it all possible,” she said.
Fraser is now working at the YMCA of Okanagan, where she herself is able to give back and make a difference in children’s lives, according to the YMCA.
According to the 2017 BC Child Poverty Report Card, one in five children in the Okanagan are growing up in poverty. Locally, one in four children in YMCA Child Care are in need of financial assistance for their families to afford care.
This season, you can help disadvantaged community members thrive by donating to the YMCA of Okanagan. Donations stay local. To learn more visit ymcaokanagan.ca/donate.
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