The story
True change is hard work. But when it comes to breaking the generational patterns that lead to poverty, addiction and abuse, hard work is what it takes.
The mothers who are served by Acres of Diamonds, a nonprofit in Washington state, take on the challenge of changing their own lives – and their children’s lives – for good.
“It takes so much courage to want to try to do something different,” said Jennifer Paddock, CEO of Acres of Diamonds. “You really have to have that hunger for change.”
As Paddock explained, the resources Acres of Diamonds provides to moms, particularly women with younger children, are designed to harness that hunger and inspire life changes that last. Acres offers two years or more of holistic, wraparound services based on individual needs, including counseling, case management, budget coaching and parental support, while children gain access to trauma-informed care, academic assistance and emotional guidance.
“There’s just this moment when a lot of women want to try,” Paddock said. “When (someone is) in that place, we want to marshal resources behind her to help her accomplish her goals for her family, because we believe that she can.”
Founded by Pearl Tadema in 1995, Acres of Diamonds is driven by the mission to help women rewrite their stories and build a sustainable future for their families. The organization’s name refers to the idea that, even in one’s own backyard, there are diamonds that can shine with just a little polish. Each mom at Acres is choosing to recognize that shine within herself.
Paddock reflected on the founder, saying, “She had a real passion and belief of who these women were and their capability, and that remains true. I think that’s one of the things that really is special about Acres.”
Despite making up over half of the homeless population in both Washington state and the nation, mothers and their children are the least served by charitable programs, according to Paddock.
“We’ve had some moms coming from tents,” Senior Director of Programs Jackie Siochi shared about the women who make up the Acres of Diamonds community. “We have a lot of moms that are coming from shelters. We have a lot of moms that are coming from couch surfing. We have some moms that are leaving their domestic violence situation coming directly here.”
Some moms in the program are in recovery from substance abuse or working toward regaining custody of their children. All of them commit to the rigorous program that involves finding work, arranging daycare for their children and committing to two nights per week of classes on budgeting, parenting, health and nutrition, job coaching, mentoring and more, depending on their individual goals. Children in the program also receive trauma-informed counseling and academic and behavioral support, ensuring they have the tools they need to thrive on this journey of change.
When first getting settled at Acres, each woman speaks to a case worker about what’s important for her – and many of the goals they set there are the foundation for their life to come.
“We have one mom who’s gotten into medical school,” Siochi said. “We’ve got moms who’ve gone into social services. One mom manages multiple dentist offices. We’ve got moms who become teachers, peer counselors, just all sorts of different industries.”
Community impact
The healing that it takes to get to these goals often starts in Acres of Diamonds’ community living model.
“When we’re growing up, we get wounded in various relationships, whether it’s family of origin, romantic partner, what have you. We also need to heal through healthy relationships, and the community model offers us a way to do that,” Siochi explained. “I kind of call it relationship immersion. There is a lot of opportunity for learning what it looks like to have a voice and have boundaries and to say what your needs, wants, thoughts, desires are.”
As each woman begins to walk her new path in life, every small accomplishment is a meaningful stepping stone toward confidence and empowerment. From getting her first job and attending her first parent-teacher conference to pursuing higher education and finding a career that provides a living wage – lasting change happens piece by piece.
“It’s this incremental growth as she discovers all the strength she didn’t realize that she had,” Paddock described. “(Each step) enables her to have the strength for the next incremental change.”
As an employer, Paddock is very aware of the vicarious trauma that can occur within social services. She and her team knew they needed to provide the resources that would keep their staff supported and motivated as they do their important work. That’s why they chose to partner with Insperity.
“It’s really hard when you’re a growing nonprofit to figure out how to take care of your people well, and in particular, the whole human resources component,” Paddock said. “The partnership with Insperity helped us all of a sudden provide (employee access to) all these benefits, including mental health.”
Partnerships across the community are vital to Acres of Diamonds’ continued work.
“Acres is just one person in a whole body of partnerships of people,” Siochi said. “Our mission isn’t possible without folks like Insperity who understand what we’re doing, believe in what we’re doing, and want to come alongside us and support us in what we’re doing.”
Recognized as an Insperity Community Hero, Acres of Diamonds will use the $5,000 charitable contribution that comes with the award to support the families in their community living program.
The nonprofit, like most successful organizations, is a pulse within a larger community.
“With all of our volunteers, with all of our donors, no one is a means to an end,” Siochi said. “It’s just a community of people that believe, like we do, in the possibilities of our families.”
While Acres of Diamonds already fulfills a critical need in the community, its vision for the future holds even more opportunity. The organization recently embarked on a $12.5 million capital project to expand its facilities. With plans to nearly double capacity, the new campus will include space for 24 additional families and a much-needed day care center.
As each mom at Acres begins building her future, Siochi shared that one of the biggest challenges faced is day care. “I am really passionate that at our new community home that we’re building, the bottom floor will be all day care,” she said. This trauma-informed facility will be designed to provide both kids and moms with the support they need to move forward confidently.
With $3 million already raised, the team aims to break ground in the near future. The project not only promises to extend their reach but also serves as a statement about the organization’s commitment to long-term, generational impact.
With a clear vision and palpable passion, it’s easy to be impressed by the team at Acres of Diamonds. But they are very clear that the real story isn’t about them – it’s about each mom they serve.
“We’re here not as a savior, but as someone who’s coming alongside her and equipping her in the ways in which she needs to be able to be successful in her life,” Siochi said.
Paddock echoed this sentiment, adding “We believe that the women themselves are the heroes.”
“Our mission isn’t possible without folks like Insperity who understand what we’re doing, believe in what we’re doing, and want to come alongside us and support us in what we’re doing.”
Jackie Siochi
Senior Director of Programs
Acres of Diamonds