Hero Story

Alison is the social worker at Generations Ahead, a support and service organization for teen parents and their children. Alison brings incredible compassion to the support she gives every day to the young parents she serves, but she also brings a deep understanding of the mental health issues many of her clients confront.

During the early days of the Covid pandemic, Alison worked tirelessly to assist her clients in providing for their basic needs by tapping into home delivery of diapers, wipes, and groceries. Everyone was scared and uncertain how to safely move forward in face of the pandemic. Alison provided reassurance during these trying times. She continued meeting weekly (now online) with her young parents, bringing stability and comfort into their homes, while also tending to their emotional needs. To reduce their feelings of isolation, Alison brought some fun to the new "Zoom" reality, with games of scavenger hunts, online cooking classes, and bedtime stories.

As a mother of a toddler who was now without childcare, she needed to balance her own family's needs with those of her clients. She worked evenings and weekends to accommodate her young moms and dads, bringing her work into her home without hesitation or any interruption to services. Alison is now back in the office seeing clients in person, in their homes, and on zoom when requested. The 40 families she serves--which represents over 100 people--know that Alison will be there for them, supporting them, empowering them, and helping them learn about themselves and thereby becoming amazing parents to their children.