'The dignity of giving' through crafts
The mothers sit around a table sharing tips on how to maintain positive discipline with their children while their families are living in homeless shelters.
"How will I transition back into being the authority figure?" asked Elisha Green, who will soon get her son back from living with a relative.
"I feel in the shelter system – we as mothers, we as women – give up our power in order to have a safe place to sleep," said Sabrina Reed.
The parenting course facilitator provided advice.
"Probably in the beginning, choose your battles. What is the most important thing you need him to do?" asked Trisha Lambert, course instructor.
The women are taking part in parenting classes as part of a program run by Women's Empowerment, a nonprofit group that provides support for homeless women. The eight-week program offers women training and support in everything from résumé writing, self-esteem building, parenting and anger management.
Interspersed with the training sessions are creativity workshops, where women make crafts and other art projects. After a recent parenting class, the women dyed scarves with Lambert.
"Whenever we do anything creative, the women are light-hearted and just blossom," said Erie Shockey, a program case manager.
Every year, Women's Empowerment holds a holiday craftmaking party where all women in the program – past graduates included – and their children make crafts for family and friends to give as holiday gifts.
"It focuses on the dignity of giving," Shockey said.
The group has asked Book of Dreams readers to help pay for craft items for this year's and future years' parties.