When La’Diedra enrolled in our benefits cliff pilot, she was carrying a lot.

“There’s no way I can do this,” she thought. “No way I can attain this or become the person I want to be.” But her family coach, Tabitha, met her exactly where she was and walked alongside her.

“She’s cried with me. She’s been mad with me,” La’Diedra said. “Having a mentor, having a big sister who would go to bat for you… she was never talking down to me.”

That coaching-caregiver relationship, central to both Our ChanceTN and Martha O’Bryan’s whole-family coaching model, gave La’Diedra confidence to do the hard work herself. She learned to slow down and plan. She opened a bank account and a savings account. She purchased a car. She took free online courses on weekends to sharpen her skills, then earned a position at HCA Hospitals.

The longer shifts and new schedule came with adjustments but also relief she hadn’t felt in a long time. “I’m not worrying about bills and being broke again in a week,” she said. “I can pay my bills and still put money away.”

Tabitha was there at every step.

“La’Diedra is incredibly resourceful and consistently shows a strong determination to move forward in life, not only for herself, but for her children,” she said. “Although she has faced obstacles along the way, she has continued to push through each challenge with positivity, resilience, and a genuine desire to create a better future.”

La’Diedra’s motivation is rooted in her children. She knows the work she has done on herself is work she’s doing for them. Today, she approaches challenges differently. Homeownership is on the horizon. And she has a message for anyone who is where she once was.

“A lot of people are prideful and don’t like help. But let someone help you. Step out on faith. Single moms don’t get many moments where it feels like the world isn’t on your shoulders. It’s awesome to have someone that cares,” she said.

“It’s tough out there, but there’s help. You can make it. Just take it one bite at a time.”

More families like La’Diedra’s are moving from striving to thriving.