We Need Your Support.  Help ECP Meet the Challenge.

Thanks to this generous opportunity the Trust will match said donations up to $25,000, dollar for dollar (1:1). 

The full amount must be raised between now and December 31, 2013. The full amount must be raised for the grant to be satisfied.

^{To learn how your donations continously makes a difference in the lives of our parents meet Nikkia Davis}

On January 8th, 2002, Nikkia Davis; a Philadelphia High School for Girls’ sophomore, Explorer Scout, and 16 year old mother of eight month old daughter, Jayana, walked into her very first ECP Power to Parent class.

Eleven years later, Kia is still a hard-working student, employee, and what her daughters Jayana (12) and Anayah (9) describe as a “fun, nice and not-embarrassing” mom. Although Kia is quick to answer with a smile, “Not at all,” when asked if parenting has gotten easier as she’s grown older, she still reminds herself of valuable lessons she learned in class. “To this day when my kids make a mistake I do not get frantic. Babies have special needs. Having to go to the bathroom or spilling a cup of milk before you walk out the door, it happens. You can’t get frantic. You can’t scare them.” Throughout the interview we observed how composed Kia remained as she connects lovingly with her daughters while bouncing her nine-month old son, Dylan on her knee while he whimpers for her attention. He’s teething but seems more interested in his mom’s lip gloss than his tether.

Between Kia’s busy schedules attending Temple full-time as a Sociology major, working as a certified nursing assistant, and serving on the board of a community center, she also makes sure her daughters get to school, as well as gymnastics and tutoring on time. The family’s days begin at 5:30 am and end at 9:30 pm for the girls and as late as 12:30 pm for Kia. “I am tired sometimes, but it has to get done,” she says humbly. One of the reasons Kia and her kids seem to truly enjoy the time they spend together is because Kia makes sure to balance all of their hard work with plenty of play. She makes it a point to include fun activities each weekend including water parks, museums and mommy/daughter spa days that Anayah especially enjoys.

Parenting is something that goes far beyond the blackboard for all of our students and juggling children, careers and the challenges of growing up along with their children can easily make young parents lose sight of the supports that are available to them. Kia understands that opportunities to share her story can serve as encouragement to parents who are unaware of ECP and the help they offer to parents. Her concerns for her children have grown from potty training and feeding schedules to bracing for the tensions that can come with raising a daughter who’s close in age… size, and who will in another year become a teenager.

Kia also reveals that Power to Parent not only offered support, but the confidence to give back to others. “I think it’s important to stay connected because as time changes, parenting changes. I feel like I can now say it’s OK. You’re going to get through this.” But to Nikkia’s credit, she’s not only getting through the challenges of parenting, she’s thriving and making sure her kids do as well. Besides making sure that programs focus on making sure fathers feel included and accountable, Nikkia feels that parenting support is definitely more accessible than it was for her ten years ago, and it’s important that young parents of today are aware of their resources so they aren’t taken away. She encourages young parents of today to reach out, even when they are scared to do so, “Ask for help because it is there. Stay involved and don’t be too proud. Everyone isn’t out to get you. It’s really a battle with yourself. Focus on being better, whatever your better can be.” Nikkia’s “better” is pretty inspiring. As her daughters show off their cartwheeling skills in our downtown office, their mother, baby brother and ECP staff applaud. Her story tells us more about all she’s learned than any “True or False” question ever could.

The proof is in the parenting.