JP Alumni Fellow Story: Shannon Armstrong
JP Alumni Fellow Shannon Armstrong wants other women to know that there is help for them and their families — they just have to ask.
The 2024-2025 Jeremiah Program Alumni Fellows are using their experiences, expertise, and stories to advocate for other single moms and their families. For 2012 JP St. Paul alum Shannon Armstrong, part of that advocacy and expertise centers on encouraging women to get help when they need it. This is her story.
My name is Shannon Armstrong, and I graduated from the Jeremiah St. Paul location in 2012. I have a daughter that’s 21, and she’s always been my motivation. She is actually attending the same college I went to when I was in the Jeremiah Program.
Before I moved back to Minnesota, I only focused on my daughter and her father. I had nothing going for myself — like, nothing. All I cared for was her and him, which was fine, but as far as me having a career or going back to school, I wasn’t doing that because I thought everything ended when I had a daughter. I felt that way because that’s the way…people made it seem like my life ended, like I had no future once you have a child, but that’s not true. I know that there is a way, and all my daughter did was just motivate me and push me to go further and keep going and get my education.
I am currently a women’s advocate. I work for a nonprofit organization, and I was led there when I was pregnant with my son. Right now, I just want to see change when women are dealing with homelessness and feeling like they have nowhere to go, one, and two, not being able to afford child care. I want to see women that know that they can do it and that the change can be made for their families.
People made it seem like my life ended, but all my daughter did was just motivate me and push me to go further and keep going and get my education.
There’s people that need a lot of support, but they don’t really share that. Sometimes, just check on your sister and make those different connections. You just never know how you can impact their life.
I would say don’t be isolated. Don’t isolate yourself. Just let people know about what you’re dealing with, and someone out there will give that support system. That’s why organizations [are] around, because they know when it comes to a mom and a child, to let them know that, “Hey, I want to see you all have a brighter future from generations to come,” and helping them to change the trajectory of their family. There is help and there’s hope.
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