Metamorphosis at Support Works

Tamara joined Support Works about six months ago. When she arrived, she was very quiet and subdued. It was in our Support Group that she finally told us her story, and it took my breath away. Tamara survived a five-year relationship that was severely abusive, the death of three of her children and the need for rehabilitation in order to walk again.

Tamara is working forward toward becoming self-sufficient: she has enrolled in college, majoring in photography and photojournalism; she is working with volunteers from Support Works to rebuild herself financially; and she is working with our Employment Specialist to establish her resume and portfolio as a local photographer/photojournalist. With this busy schedule, she also volunteered more than 300 hours for the Policy Council, Parent Advisory Committee, and other committees in Head Start.

Recently, Tamara came to Group for help with a decision she needed to make. She had been nominated for National Head Start's Beating the Odds Award, and invited to the National Head Start Parent Conference in Virginia Beach. Although she initially did not want to attend, after encouragement from her peers at Support Works, she did. And she won!

It is an on-going pleasure for anyone who knows of Tamara’s story, to watch her steadily and methodically work through the problems and issues that were holding her back. She is a shining example of what perseverance and hard work will accomplish.

Tamara’s encouragement to those who need to work through issues in their lives: “I want others to know that as long as they are willing to do the work they don't have to stay at the bottom. Moreover, they do not have to accept being in an unhealthy relationship. I did not think I deserved any better but I did.”