Success Stories
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Ana Moncada (with Kiana)
ERLH Parent
“I feel really lucky to have the Education Center. My kids were getting homework help even in first grade. Most of the parents here work, so we don’t have much time to help our kids with school. I especially like the summer program because I wouldn’t be able to afford to send my kids to camp because they are all so expensive. Being at Ethel Lawrence Homes is like being in heaven. My family really is blessed to be where we are.”
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Jenyth Ruberte (with Dante)
ERLH Parent
“In Camden, I felt like I couldn’t protect my son. But the set up at Ethel Lawrence Homes is a thousand percent better. My favorite thing about living here is that I can sit in the front of my house. And that my 4-year-old can ride his bike and I don’t have to worry about someone shooting. I have peace of mind. I feel like I can breathe. I just have normal worries now. I still have to watch for cars.”
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Deitra Chamberlain (with family)
ERLH Parent
“I love living at Ethel R. Lawrence Homes. The apartments are very nice. They have all the amenities, like a washer and dryer, and they’re so spacious. But what’s most important to us is that we have the opportunity to send our kids to the best schools in the state. The homework club at ERLH is another bonus. Having this educational support takes a lot of the pressure off of me and my husband. We really appreciate having an extra helping hand.”
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Sandra Rios (with Delilah and Zaibian)
ERLH Parent
“I love the Education Center. Miss Cindy helps me so much. She got my son to break out of his shell, to communicate with his teachers. And she’s great with my daughter Delilah. It’s like I have a partner. And every one of the Jesuit Volunteers has been wonderful, too. My children cry every time they leave. If I hit the lottery, my first focus would be to help the Education Center.”
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Katrice Groce (with Jasmine)
ERLH Parent
“Living here at Ethel R. Lawrence Homes has been a blessing. Not only am I able to raise my daughter in an affordable home, but Jasmine also benefits from the educational assistance offered by the Margaret Donnelly O’Connor Education Center. Because of the help and support Jasmine receives from Homework Club, she is getting great grades on her report card and nice remarks from her teachers. I am praying and looking forward to my daughter furthering her education in the future.”
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Melissa Mote
Burlington County Community College Student
“ERLH is a really comfortable place to live; I’ve met good friends here. Living at ERLH gives you many different opportunities: college tours, educational services, and jobs in the summer that keep youth focused. I attended Homework Club and worked as a teen leader during the summer program. The education programs were a great source of help. You could come in confused and you left with an understanding. The college workshops kept me focused. The guest speakers helped me learn about experiences to keep in mind. The finance speaker helped me to think about how to prep for college, save and be responsible with money. The teen speakers told me about how they had to prepare and the process of when to look for schools.”
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Donte Chamberlain
Rutgers University student
“Affordable housing is important because times are rough. I have three siblings and my parents have to provide for everyone. Living here has helped them to do that. In Homework Club, I got extra help in all of my academic subjects in addition to the help that I received at school. The college workshop helped me to learn about financial aid; I was able to do the FAFSA and get grant assistance because of it. I also worked as a Teen Leader during the summer. The HBCU college tour was vey helpful because it allowed me to see different colleges and get a feel for the different types of universities and college life.”
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Lisa Worley (with Ashley)
ERLH Parent
“Ethel. R. Lawrence Homes is a peaceful and quiet place to live. I am glad I don’t have to worry about fighting or distractions in the neighborhood or in school. I also like that everyone works together to educate the children. The Education Center’s one-on-one assistance benefits my daughter Ashley because it helps her stay focused and work to her potential in the challenging Mount Laurel School District.”
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Candis Calaf (with Asiniah)
ERLH Parent
“I have very positive feelings about the Mount Laurel School System and the Margaret Donnelly O’Connor Education Center. The teachers use various strategies to teach the children and they keep in touch with the parents. If you have a problem, they try to solve it in a positive way. The Education Center staff encourages the children, gives them praise and makes them believe that they can accomplish anything in life. They mold the children into positive people.”
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Isaiah Franklin
ERLH Youth
“Where I used to live, at night I would hear gunshots. There aren’t any gunshots out here.”
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Anadie Ruberte
ERLH Youth
“Here, there’s always someone to play with. You get to be a kid.”
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Will Feaster
Lenape High People’s Choice Award Winner, Margaret Donnelly O’Connor Education Center graduate
“I genuinely respect Will Feaster and his view of the world. Will has grown into a thoughtful and sure young man who can do anything he decides to set his mind to.”
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Isaiah Rodriguez
Lenape High People’s Choice Award Winner, Margaret Donnelly O’Connor Education Center graduate
“Witnessing Isaiah’s transformation keeps me from becoming discouraged and reminds me that everyone is capable of change.”
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Frank Ivey
Frank is a graduate of our healthy cooking class and Northgate II’s six-week Chronic Disease Self-Management Program.
“It is always good for outside resources to come in to offer health classes for people who need help,” Frank says. “If it wasn’t for the wellness program, residents would not be getting the proper care. It’s a blessing.”
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Luz Cordero with her son and social worker Zaida Martinez
Luz is participating in our assisted living program
“I don’t know what I would do without you guys,” says Luz’s son Luis Marrero. “It has been a great help for me and my mom. Now, I have a much better understanding of the situation my mom is going through.”
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Gregory Stratton
Age 63, has lost more than 50 pounds since participating in the wellness program
“People say I’m an inspiration. They say if you can do it, I can do it. I feel great and I’m glad I can do something for myself as well as help other people.”
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Elsa Cartagena
Age 64, Northgate II Resident
“I like it here very much. They do a lot of things to keep us busy and entertained so we can enjoy our lives and make good friends. They have nutrition classes and I love Zumba. I’ve got a lot of pain in my back because of a car accident. The doctors said I had nerve damage. For one month, I couldn’t move my arm. But the exercise class has really helped me move. I feel a lot better now.”
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Rosa Diaz
Age 81, Northgate II Resident
“I like the wellness program because it’s teaching me how to eat right and exercise. I’m not in my apartment as much now. The exercise program is my favorite. I get to move my upper body and my legs, and that’s why I feel so much better.”
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Eldris Rondon
Age 44, Northgate II Resident
“I started doing the Zumba because I could dance and talk and meet people. It really helped me not feel emotionally isolated. I won the Biggest Loser contest because I totally changed the way I was eating. Now I eat a lot of oatmeal, salads and when I go to a buffet lunch, I only eat vegetables. Also, I drink a lot of water, get a good night’s sleep and never eat after 8 p.m. – unless it’s a pear or a banana.”
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Reba Diane Thompson
Age 53, Northgate II Resident
“When you get older, it’s hard to lose weight. But anybody can lose weight if they put their mind to it.”
