Although Maria attended the University of San Luis Potosi, she longed to come to the United States where everything is possible. Her longing led her to Dallas because she had a cousin living there.  A devout Catholic, she attended church where she met her future husband.

She and her husband moved to Arlington where they bought a house. They were happy there until her husband’s addiction to prescription drugs and alcohol led to incarcerations.  Two little boys were born during those turbulent times, and Maria took them to visit their dad in prison.

As the family got further and further behind with their mortgage payments, Maria realized that she had to have help.  When she applied to the Arlington Workforce for assistance, the staff referred her to Family Pathfinders.  Maria dutifully applied without knowing how the organization could help.

Maria learned that she would be matched with a mentoring team for one year.  The team would support and guide her as she made the very difficult transition from welfare to work.   

The team assigned to Maria immediately saw her potential and went into action.  Once team members realized that the mortgage company was about to repossess her house because she was behind with her payments, they made a few and persuaded others to help, saving her house.

Family Pathfinders team members helped reduce her electric bill by making her house more energy efficient.  They babysat her little boys and tutored her while she took classes at TCC.  Members supported her efforts to obtain her American citizenship and saw her through a divorce and a bankruptcy necessitated by her husband’s medical bills.

Throughout the year Maria’s mentors were mindful of helping her achieve successes in a way that encouraged self-sufficiency.    Maria’s hard work has paid off, and she currently works as a Family Representative in one on the Arlington schools.  She puts into practice many of the skills she learned when she received assistance from Family Pathfinders.  She helps families of all nationalities – Hispanic, Vietnamese, Chinese, and African American.

She refers parents to programs and agencies that can help them, whatever their needs.  They need ESL classes: she tells them where classes are available.  They need child care while they attend classes: she can help.  They want to attend classes to get their GED: Maria is ready with the needed information.  A parent needs help with anger management -- Maria to the rescue. 

Maria tells of one family whose apartment burned, and the family was left with nothing but the clothes on their backs.  Where could they go?  How could they get the required school uniforms?  Maria knows the answers and is happy to help.

Perhaps the story that most touches Maria’s heart is the little Vietnamese girl whose sandals had no soles.  Her bare feet touched the ground.  Maria knew exactly where to get help.  She says that her job is a lot like Family Pathfinders; she just does whatever it takes to enable people in need to help themselves.

Over the past ten years Maria has continued to keep in touch with her Pathfinders team members, or her angels as she calls them.   She says that she had been so discouraged before she was accepted into the program that she had almost lost her faith.  She was eager to give back, and following her mentorship, she was eager to help her team’s next assignment.  She knew that the mother had been homeless and had no furniture and that the team was helping her get into a house.  When a friend of Maria’s was replacing her couch, Maria asked for it and stored it in her garage until the new family had a place for it.  She also went to garage sales and purchased clothing for the children.

Recently, Maria was replacing some furniture, and she checked to see if the current Pathfinders family could use it.  Finding that they could, she delivered it.

Team members have continued to provide a little assistance over the years.  With assurance that it was ok, she has allowed her sons to call a team member for assistance with homework.  This past year when she required surgery, a team member took her to the hospital and was there when she returned to her room.

Coping with the culture of poverty challenges the most dedicated among us.  It is all too easy to write “those people” off as just wanting a handout.  There are other Marias out there who will become self sufficient if mentored by knowledgeable, caring people.