Agnes Story

Perhaps Agnes best exemplifies the viable difference ABLE programs can make in the lives of participants, their children and their community. Agnes’ mother died when she was quite young and after completing 8th grade, Agnes found herself pregnant and homeless. Unable to read beyond third-grade level, she quit school, lied about her age to get on welfare and began to “play house” in an apartment she found. In the fall of 1986, at the age of 26, this addicted single mother realized that she “was tired of getting high and [being] caught up in hells I didn’t want. My kids were getting bigger. I was running out of games. I had some choosing to do. Did I want to be an alkie, a junkie, an unfit mother? Was there any way out of the traps?” When Agnes made the decision to change, she had help. As she recalls:

I went to [the] Literacy Council to learn how to read. The caseworker at the Welfare had told me about it. I wasn’t planning on being a minister, a day care provider or a foster parent. I didn’t plan on doing a lot of the things that I am active in now. But it opened so many doors for me that it’s unreal…

I had low self-esteem because I wasn’t sure of myself at that time. The more I got to know myself, the more secure I got with myself. I did a lot of transforming. I am more sure of myself now. I’ve learned that when you set goals and you press towards achieving them you may win some and you may lose some. I have won a lot and I’ve lost a lot. I’ve still gained because I’ve tried. I never use the word, I can’t. I always say I can and I will. Sometimes, I may have to go through the back door to get to the front door. It’s not which door you go in but how you end up. As long as you get in and get what you want. As long as you give it your best effort; put your best foot forward.

I feel blessed and I read everything. I have three children; they all graduated. They saw that I wanted to get my GED. I didn’t get it. I put it on the back burner. So many things were happening that that wasn’t important to me any more. I’m not saying I don’t want it. It’s just not the most important thing in my life right now…

Right now, I’m working on my ministry license to teach the Gospel and I believe in God that I will adopt six kids. It doesn’t matter whether they’re boys or girls. I also believe I will be able to open a home for unwanted children. There are so many children in the system and after a certain age, no one wants to adopt them. I believe that in the near future, I will be able to purchase a building and open it for kids…

A lot of times people say money is success, having a home is success. This is not success. Success is not being there for yourself but being there for others. The real things in life like loving people, being happy, kissing your grandkids and watching them grow up. That is real success.

As Agnes’ story illustrates the long term impact of ABLE programs does not lie solely in ge tting a GED or going on to college or obtaining secure employment or encouraging children or grandchildren to attain professional status. ABLE successes are best measured in terms of changing attitudes, opening vistas, empowering learners and transforming lives.