Susana’s Family Relief Nursery Journey
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Susana arrived in Cottage Grove from Guatemala in 2009, one of six women who spoke primarily Mam, and only a little Spanish. She built a life and a family of seven in her household. When her eldest son Jaison was young, the struggle to find resources weighed on her daily. “Before discovering this program, it was really hard for me to provide diapers and clothing for Jaison,” she recalls. “There were times that I would spend entire days walking everywhere trying to find resources.”
A friend from her community saw her need and asked a simple, life-changing question: why wasn’t Jaison in school? Susana’s own response reveals how unfamiliar this support was to her at the time: “I thought, why would a baby need to go to school? They're too young.” With all other options exhausted, Susana walked to her first appointment at Family Relief Nursery.
That first step began a decade-long partnership. The immediate relief was profound. “The resource room with its clothing and diapers helped me out so much,” she says. For a young mother, the respite program offered a rare break: “When Jaison went off to class, I was able to take a shower and brush my hair.” But FRN’s support went deeper. Teachers and outreach workers visited her home to help her connect with resources to pay rent and utilities. They did so with a cultural sensitivity that built immediate trust, like one teacher went out of their way to cover their tattoos before entering Susana’s home, knowing they are not accepted in Guatemalan communities.
For ten years, this foundation has held. The proof is in her children. Her eldest, Jaison, and her daughter Yaretzi, “had such a smooth transition into school. Neither Jaison nor Yaretzi cried when they started kindergarten.” Now, her youngest, Blanca, waits eagerly by the window each morning. She shouts, “WOW” every time the bus pulls up and goes running to the door— often forgetting her shoes.
Today, Susana has become one of FRN’s most passionate advocates in her community. When her own daughter had a baby, “I had no hesitation to tell her to enroll with FRN.” She now guides other newly arrived Guatemalan mothers, urging them to find the same support. This advocacy springs from a personal revelation. “I haven't ever even had a week of schooling myself,” Susana shares. “I want my kids to be different. FRN has inspired me to share my story and educate my children.”
In Susana’s own words, FRN has truly become a “second home” to her and her family. Susana’s bravery opened a door. What she found was more than a service; it was a community that saw her, supported her, and helped her stand firm.
