Hope For Every Generation

  Hey there! I'm Sheri Leyva and I am the Mentor / Navigator for women who are navigating the challenges of going through the CPS and family court system. My personal goal is to form an army of women who have healed and recovered from their traumas and challenges who will then come back to help pull others out of the pit. Demita Harper is one of those women. 

    Please let me introduce Ms Demita Harper and her grandson Romeo. Last year was a rough year for Demita. Some of her unresolved traumas caused her to make some unhealthy choices that ultimately got CPS involved. Demita’s grandson, Romeo, that she had raised his entire life, was put into foster care. I met Ms Harper when she called to register for FOCUS For Mothers classes that were on her CPS service plan. We got to know each other and quickly bonded over similar life stories. I knew right away that Demita had a mindset of not only working her services to get Romeo home, but fully taking advantage of the classes and time she had to heal from what got her into this situation. She soaked up everything we presented like a sponge and proudly came back each week with revelations she was having as she was learning about herself and how to truly heal. Not only was she the star of class each week, she used her testimony and wisdom to pour into the other women in the class. It was truly inspiring to see her growth. Demita graduated from her FOCUS class, but she did not stop there. She has now come back twice to be the presenter for our monthly support group, Sisters Empowering Sisters. It is truly powerful seeing her come back and pour wisdom and hope into the moms who are just beginning their journey. Romeo is now home with his GiGi and is thriving, thanks to the classes and mentorship from the FOCUS+ For Mothers program. 

Please consider donating so that we can continue to support parents through their process. Every donation will be matched up to $25,000. 

This is what Demita had to say -

Honestly, at the beginning, I felt that I was being attacked when CPS was making me take FOCUS classes, until I embraced the change and changed my perspective.  I took a long look at myself, replayed decisions and past failures and gave myself a fair chance. The resources and tools that were provided for me changed my life. Support, mentorship and compassion met me. I wasn't just another project or case but someone who was hurt and confused. The mentors met me mentally where I was and understood. I never had people in my life that actually cared about me enough to listen, laugh and cry with me without any judgment or regret...thank you NewDay Services!!!