At 18 years old and five months pregnant, Mia has been on her own since she was 13. Her midwife connected her to Bebhinn Horrigan, Tacoma YFC Parent Life Coordinator. Mia couldn’t look Bebhinn in the eye the first time they met for coffee. She let Bebhinn know it had nothing to do with her, it was just difficult overall for her to make connections and trust people. 

The first few times they met, Bebhinn helped her look for housing as she was living in a shelter and needed to find a more permanent residence. Mia’s ultimate goal was to have her own apartment, but she kept running into barriers. 

Much of the time Bebhinn and Parent Life volunteers spend with pregnant and parenting teens is doing the practical “stuff” of life, like grocery shopping and appointments. These moments that might seem mundane are packed with opportunities to hear their stories. For Mia, that story included living on her own on the street at 13. Her story is challenging and it has made her very independent. She spent several months out of school working to save up to support herself and her baby. 

Recently, Mia is back in school and Bebhinn has been able to support her with finding rides and setting up the appointments she needs. Mia has also moved into an apartment! Bebhinn was able to walk with her through getting ready for her move. 

Now when Mia sees Bebhinn she says, “Love you, Miss Bebhinn.” Bebhinn says it has been a blessing to walk with her through the process. “I’m just blessed to be trusted and used in the lives of young people,” she says.