Today we’d like to introduce you to Jovan.
Hi Jovan, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Teen Moms Choose Life (TMCL) began when Debbie Newell an Osceola County School teacher who worked at COPE – Creating Opportunity Through Parent Education. COPE is Osceola County’s Teen Parenting Program which runs in Zenith Accelerated Academy
When Debbie retired she didn’t walk away from the girls she helped. She and former teen moms who had graduated from the COPE program and had gone on to become successful members of the community seen a huge need for support for these teen moms.
Together, they built a nonprofit rooted in lived experiences designed to support young moms from pregnancy through graduation and beyond, and to show them that success is possible because others have walked that same path before them.
They operate a network of past Cope Moms to create resources throughout the community to help mothers of all ages in need of baby items and equipment as well as run a essentials classroom every school Friday of the year that provides the teen moms and any student in need with food, toiletries and more as well as mentor and support the teen moms.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Like many grassroots nonprofits, one of our biggest challenges is sustainability and making sure we have consistent funding and resources to meet growing needs. The demand for support often increases faster than the resources available.
Another challenge is serving young moms with complex, real-life barriers, such as transportation, childcare, housing instability, and balancing school with parenting. Progress doesn’t happen on a straight line, so our work requires patience, flexibility, and long-term commitment.
We also work hard to change stigma. Many young moms are judged or underestimated, and part of TMCL’s mission is helping them rebuild confidence and see themselves as capable and worthy of success.
Despite these challenges, they’re also what drive us because when support is consistent and compassionate, the outcomes are life-changing.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
TMCL is a nonprofit organization that supports pregnant and parenting teens and young mothers by walking alongside them from pregnancy through graduation and beyond. Our work is rooted in empowerment, consistency, and community making sure young moms don’t just survive, but truly thrive.
We specialize in providing access to essential resources, life-skills education, mentorship, parenting academic encouragement with a strong sense of belonging. TMCL is known for meeting young moms where they are, without judgment, while holding them to a standard of growth, accountability, and self-belief.
What truly sets TMCL apart is Mrs Debbie’s and her nonstop commitment to making sure everyone gets heard and seen. . She shows up consistently, advocates relentlessly, and never stops working to ensure each young mom feels supported and cared for.
That level of love and dedication is the foundation of our organization and what turns support into impact and makes TMCL feel like family, not just a program.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
When I think about risk, I think first about the young moms we serve. Every teen mom who chooses to have her baby takes an enormous personal risk emotionally, physically, socially, and financially. Watching that kind of courage changes how you view risks.
Because they take that risk every day, we believe it’s our responsibility to take risks for them. That means advocating for them even when it’s uncomfortable, asking for funding when resources are uncertain, and standing in spaces where young moms are often overlooked or misunderstood.
Many of the risks we’ve taken like building TMCL, seeking funding, expanding services came from asking ourselves one question: If these young moms are brave enough to step into motherhood, are we brave enough to step up for them?
For us, risk isn’t about growth for growth’s sake it’s about showing up boldly for women who have already shown incredible courage. And that’s a risk we’ll continue to take.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Teenmomschooselife.com
- Instagram: Teenmomschooselife
- Facebook: Teen Moms Choose Life
- LinkedIn: Teen Moms Choose Life
