CCS Teen Mothers

Catholic Community Services empowers teen mothers to stabilize their lives.

“Beth” is the first to admit that she made serious mistakes when she was younger. She thought she was in love. Thought she knew all the answers. She couldn’t wait to experience life’s many joys.

At 15, Beth’s mistakes began to pile up faster than she could learn from them. After she got pregnant, her boyfriend revealed his drug addiction through abuse. Her strained relationship with her parents stretched too far and she had to leave home. School lost its meaning after a family tragedy. Her grades faltered and she eventually dropped out. Her last resort, living with her sister in California, fizzled soon after she arrived. In the course of a year, a fog of uncertainty and burnt bridges began to overshadow her once bright future.

Pregnant and flipping burgers, Beth refused to accept a future supporting herself with minimum wage jobs and welfare. Earning her diploma was the first step in escaping this dead-end lifestyle. Yet with no one to turn to, her limited options pointed to a bleak tomorrow.

Beth returned to Oregon last year and got back on track to a promising future. She credits her beloved three-year-old daughter “Dillon” for her motivation and Catholic Community Services (CCS) for the support she needed to succeed.

To enter CCS’s Teen Housing Program, Beth had to prove her desire for a stable life and willingness to work toward her goals. After three months in a temporary shelter while diligently attending school, CCS helped Beth into a clean and cozy home. In exchange for assistance with rent and bills, Beth must maintain her good standing and demonstrate progress at school.

CCS provides the support and stability for all its clients to have a second chance at success. “The support that they give you lets you focus on what you need to be focusing on,” she explains. “If it wasn’t for [CCS] I wouldn’t be successful today.”

Beth is eager to enter Lane Community College in the fall to study family and human services. “I’m excited,” she exclaims. “I want to go to college. I want to move on with my life.” She believes that once she understands the cause of her own tumultuous decisions she’ll be well suited to help other youth with similar problems.

Your support will help Catholic Community Services empower more of its clients like Beth to regain control and direction in their lives.