Today we’d like to introduce you to Molly Stokas.
Molly, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My dad was a pastor, so our family was always involved in helping people. Our church had members from every income group, and we also reached out to needy people throughout our community. My mom was a nurse, and she took me on a humanitarian medical mission trip to Haiti when I was just a preteen. I had never seen poverty to that extent, and it had a lasting impact on me.
Several years later, my cousin Amy and I went on similar trips to Africa, El Salvador, and Mexico, and once again I was exhilarated by the opportunity to help people in need. After I got married and moved to San Diego, my husband Scott and I wanted to find ways to give back to the community and make a difference in people’s lives.
I was grateful for the ways God had blessed me and was eager to share my life and resources with those in need – especially vulnerable children.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I have greatly enjoyed the opportunities I’ve had to invest in the San Diego community and beyond. However, the journey hasn’t always been easy. There are immense needs, both in San Diego and around the world, and I also have a marriage and full-time job to maintain. I’ve found that I can’t help everyone and must focus my time and resources, which isn’t easy for me! Each new year, I try to evaluate which organizations seem to be having the most impact. That’s where I want to focus my attention as much as possible.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Home Start story. Tell us more about the business.
Home Start’s mission is to ensure the safety and resiliency of children by strengthening families and their communities. We want every child to have a safe, stable, and nurturing home.
In order to effectively prevent and treat child abuse, we address the conditions that can contribute to risky or abusive situations – poverty, hunger, unsafe neighborhoods, lack of affordable housing, and unemployment – while also addressing self-sufficiency and emotional needs.
We work diligently to reduce barriers and create sustainable change in areas such as food insecurity, child abuse and neglect, homelessness, poverty, access to healthcare, mental health, and economic self-sufficiency. Our approach is culturally competent, trauma-informed, and results-focused.
Home Start staff members serve on the front lines in the battle to prevent child abuse and help families in need thrive through our amazing programs, including:
1. Community Services for Families (CSF). The goal of CSF is to promote child safety, child well-being, and stable living environments for children.
2. Maternity Housing Program (MHP). This outreach provides pregnant or parenting homeless women ages 18-24 and their children with housing and wrap-around supportive services.
3. Behavioral Health Services. We provide therapy services to children, families, and adults, both in-home and at our counseling center.
4. First 5 First Steps. We provide in-home parent education to pregnant women and their families.
5. Communities in Action (CiA). CiA offers families a hand up through a continuum of care, including employment services, financial coaching, and services designed to help move individuals and families toward self-sufficiency.
6. Cal-Fresh Enrollment Assistance. This helps low-income families and individuals access healthy food.
I am most proud of how Home Start is helping to break the cycle of poverty, abuse, and neglect in the lives of local San Diego families. The young mothers I meet in our Maternity Housing Program are excited to be taking an active role in planning for their future to support themselves and their children in a self-sufficient way. This is so encouraging and rewarding!
We also have an upcoming graduating class of parents and their 3-year olds in our First 5 First Steps program. For three years, our case managers have been providing in-home parenting education and support to these families, making sure they have all the resources for their children to thrive.
Just this week, I learned that one of the awesome young mothers in our Community Services for Families Program had regained full custody of her three adorable boys. She is excited to have them back home with her, filling the house with laughter and joy this holiday season.
Home Start is equipping real families like these with the resources and hope that inspire me each day. That is why I love being part of this amazing organization, and I invite everyone to join the Home Start family and play a role in helping children in need.
You can do this by volunteering, adopting a family, donating financially or giving gently used items to the thrift store.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I believe that everything happens for a reason and there is no such thing as luck! Life is full of miracles and divine appointments.
As I look back on my life, I see all kinds of ways I was prepared for my involvement in what I am currently doing through my philanthropic endeavors.
There is a tapestry that has been woven through my life through seeing many people in need, and it’s all come together in my present season.
Contact Info:
- Address: 3611 Adams Ave, San Diego, CA 92116
- Website: https://home-start.org/
- Phone: (858)- 525-5053
- Email: Molly.stokas@gmail.com
- Instagram: @Molly_Stokas
Image Credit:
Chris Brake Photography
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