Consistency was something Gabriella thought she could not find in her children’s early learning. She struggled to find quality care for her children and as a result, was often unable to work full-time. Concerned about her children’s care while she was working, Gabriella found it hard to focus on her career.

“I am only halfway at work if I do not know if my children are safe and cared for,” she says. “I had different people picking them up from school, after-school care programs that made finances difficult.”

That is when Gabriella discovered the United Way Child Care Scholarship. The signature cause of Women United, the scholarship provides parents pursuing their education with subsidized child care so they can focus on their careers while knowing their children are safe in quality child care centers. Today, her children are thriving in a high-quality learning center that is making the most of their early development.

“There is always an activity for him to do that makes his face light up,” she says about her son. “My children are happy with their care and exhausted by the end of the evening, I could not be happier.”

The impact of the scholarship wasn’t limited to just the care her children received; her career improved as well after a difficult time. Gabriella found herself questioning her confidence in staying in the field she had been studying for, child care and was looking for answers. Empowered by the flexibility that the scholarship provided her financially, she sought out and discovered hope for her career. That is when Gabriella found a job at The Rise School of San Antonio, an employer that met her needs as an educator.

“I needed to know how inclusive care works for them and what type of support they provide to teachers to be successful,” she said. “The door was open and I could not stop thinking about it. I met with the head of the school and a representative of the board and was offered a job. Not only did it double my income but it gave me health benefits and a schedule that would allow me to have more quality time with my children,” Gabriella added.

In April, Gabriella attended United Way’s annual Power of the Purse event where she saw the power of collective impact firsthand with Women United. She met countless Women United members who gave her a “burst of energy” to complete a difficult semester of school. “Not only have my children benefitted from the scholarship but I was introduced to a group of women who I did not know were rooting for me. Rooting for my success academically, professionally and personally,” she says.

Taking the first step in her career and starting her new job, Gabriella is ready to take on the world. Her children are in quality child care, and she now has the job she had always wanted in her dream career.

“Being at Power of the Purse gave me the boost I needed to continue with my degree and become the first in my family with a bachelor’s degree,” Gabriella says. “What you are doing is changing lives, your graciousness is making a difference. My family and those in the program will be forever grateful.”

With the United Way Child Care Scholarship, Gabriella and her family now have a stronger foundation on which to build their future. Most of all, she has found the consistency she sought for so long and has greater personal stability today.