Susan Larara and her son John
Each week in December, we introduce you to families whose lives have been forever changed by Children’s Council of San Francisco. Today we meet Susan Larara and her son John. With your support, we can prepare children like John, and thousands more like him, to be Ready for School, and Ready for Life.
When Susan Larara learned about a new training program at her work, she knew she wanted to participate. But finding evening and weekend child care for her four-year-old son John proved difficult. “I didn’t have any family around to help take care of John. I was living in a single room occupancy hotel. I had to have child care.”
With only three weeks before the start of the training program, Susan came to Children’s Council. She didn’t have a telephone, so she came to our office (with son John in tow), quickly jotted down child care provider information, and headed back out the door.
Children’s Council helped Susan place John in a family child care home that offered both the hours she needed and the individual attention that she was hoping for. And Children’s Council helped her secure crucial financial subsidies to pay for it. “It really opened my eyes to education, child development and the importance of keeping kids constantly engaged. I learned what to look for in schools, and how to find a child-focused environment.”
“John learned the bedrocks of school: good behavior, sitting still… my son had a hard time tying his shoes. His provider would tell him little stories to help him learn.” Without Children’s Council, Susan wouldn’t have been able to support her family. She says, “It was a necessity beyond anything I can explain. I wouldn’t have had any financial stability without it.”
John exceled through school and graduated from high school with a 3.6 GPA; he was offered admission to fourteen colleges. Now he is a sophomore at UC Santa Barbara studying journalism.
With your contribution, Children’s Council can support more parents like Susan, and provide enriching educational experiences for kids like John, setting them on the path to success. Help us get the children in our community Ready for School, and Ready for Life!
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