How the Jeremiah Program continues to help moms and kids succeed

(ABC 6 News) – On Friday, The Jeremiah Program in Rochester is hosting its 2nd Annual Pathways Gala focusing on generations.

The program takes a two-generational approach to work with moms and kids in disrupting poverty.

"I had recently been laid off from the airlines and had only a high school education and my son was about a year old," Graduate of the Jeremiah Program, Brittany Block said.

Block needed housing in the Twin Cities and got help from Jeremiah.

Fast forward 11 years, she bought a condo and owns her own business after getting her business degree.

"I would never think that would be a thing for me that just seemed so far out of the realm of possibilities so to come home every night to something that I bought by myself is pretty incredible," Block said.

Block spoke at the first Pathways Gala in 2019 sharing her story.

She wants moms to see where she started and how far she has come to show them that it’s possible for them to do the same.

The Jeremiah Program campus in Rochester opened in July 2020 and has continued to help moms get an education while raising their kids, getting out of poverty, and anything else life throws at them.

"Being able to budget and just like the emotional wellbeing in taking care of myself and recognizing the impacts that stress has on my life," Block said.

"To be able to walk alongside our moms through those barriers and around them and come up with their creative problem solving to some things that they run into is really remarkable," Executive Director of the Rochester Jeremiah Program, Ally Hanten Ebert said.

The hope is that the community can help support these moms and kids too.

"Looking into the future we are just going to continue to grow our network with support in the community, continuing to invest in our moms and making sure they have a partner through this path and setting them up for success," Hanten Ebert said.

There have been a few graduates from the Rochester campus and one is graduating on Thursday.

She will be one of the speakers at the gala.

The gala is this Friday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Hilton Rochester Mayo Clinic.

ABC 6 News is a proud sponsor of that event.

There will be live performances and a live auction and you can find out more here.