My name is Jackie Rivera and I was born and bred in Brooklyn, New York.
I came out of a dysfunctional family at 17-years-old and have been in survival mode, beating the odds to overcome poverty not only for me, but for my family.
I remember a time when I lived in the shelter system here in NYC. I used to daydream of owning my own business, a multi-unit property and a vehicle, so I wouldn’t ever have to take public transportation again. Today, I am closer to manifesting my dreams because the nonprofit Jeremiah Program supported me in various unprecedented ways.
The last eight years of my life have been a whirlwind of uphill battles to survive the odds of me failing miserably in life. Unintentionally, living in survival mode not only caused me exhaustion, but it made me resilient as well. Surviving one battle after the next has only made me stronger, just like the saying “what doesn’t kill me makes me stronger,” coined by Friedrich Nietzsche.
My God has truly protected me thus far in my crazy life “mi vida loca.” I’m here to tell my story.
In 2016, at eight months pregnant, I lost my child’s father to gun violence, leaving me a single parent. In 2022, just six short years later, my 12-year-old daughter lost her father to gun violence. That's when I began to look for a way out of poverty. I was desperate to replan my life since I nearly lost it grieving. I found a way to muster up courage to be the best mom-and-dad I could ever be for my children.
One day when I was at the Hebrew Educational Society, Darren, a program coordinator, shared the information about the Jeremiah Program with me. Darren mentioned that there was another mom already utilizing the program, which was able to help her achieve her personal and professional goals and offer a sense of community.
At the time, I was set to go back to school, and was looking to send my girls to summer camp. He urged me to call the program. Desperate, I called that very moment. A professional female voice answered the call and gingerly invited me to a Zoom orientation session. Then it happened. I was fortunate enough to receive a stroke of serendipity.
It was during the Jeremiah Program’s Empowerment and Leadership orientation that I realized this was my opportunity sent from heaven to support my endeavor to graduate college and follow my dreams. The program’s community is unmatched.
As a direct result of the support Jeremiah Program provided me, I was able to complete the bachelor’s degree program at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. On January 11, 2024, my diploma was granted.
Jeremiah Program is living its mission to help single mothers rise above poverty and transform their lives to thrive! In 2023, the program enrolled my girls in tutoring to support their core subjects in school, they attended summer enrichment camp and participated in family enrichment events that fostered a sense of community and belonging.
In addition, I received an awesome coach, Deanna Giordano, who has supported me since day one. Jeremiah Program has raised the bar on what it means for single moms to have access to an adequate standard of living. Thank you to the entire program for pushing me forward even during economic turmoil. I’m inspired to pay my success forward by remaining a part of the program and helping other moms reach their goals.
Jackie Rivera, a Brooklyn resident, is a participant of the Jeremiah Program, a nonprofit that helps single mothers break the cycle of poverty.
