Right now there is a teenager in our area who is becoming a parent for the very first time. She joins numbers of other Upstate teens in Greenville County, accounting for the highest teen pregnancy rate in South Carolina. She may be struggling with her new identity, grasping for encouragement, or longing to know what her future holds.  

Accompanying her is an innocent child who deserves to have an educated, responsible, and loving parent. However, children born to teen moms are two times more likely to be victims of abuse and live their first 13 years of life in poverty stricken conditions than children born to moms over 20.

Little Steps is a SC state and federally approved 501(c)(3) organization that aims to support our community’s young mothers to become more self-sufficient, healthy, confident parents. Through our comprehensive mentoring program we are able to help each girl to identify and meet her immediate needs and to structure goals for the future in a non-judgmental environment of accountability. Considering that less than one-third of girls that begin their family as a teen ever complete high school, we must place particular emphasis on making sure these young moms are able to stay in school. An education will empower the girls to support and care for their children. Ultimately, our goal is to build the first transitional housing development in Greenville that will provide a safe haven for both mothers and babies.