Jeremiah Program holds its "Pathways Gala" for the first time since 2019

(ABC 6 News) – For the first time since the pandemic, the Jeremiah Program held its annual Pathways Gala. It’s a night to come together and help make a difference in local moms’ lives.

Brittany Block graduated from the Jeremiah Program, Minneapolis-St. Paul in 2014. She got emotional on Friday as she shared how much the program means to her, and how she doesn’t know where she would be without it.

"He makes comments about how hard I work, and him seeing all that stuff, it means so much," Brittany said of her 11-year-old son Grayson. "I get to go to his practices, pick him up from school, and chaperone school events. That’s not something that I thought would ever be part of my parenting journey."

Brittany and her son Grayson needed housing in the Twin Cities when she got help from the Jeremiah Program. School wasn’t on her radar but she gave it a shot and now owns her own business and condo.

Now, she’s using her story and what she’s learned to help others. She said one of the most important things she’s learned is the idea of empowerment.

"I spent a lot of time with like a lot of anxiety that I didn’t understand, and through that empowerment, it put science as to why I felt the way I felt, or why things seemed the way it did for me. Which made it easier for me then to realize I can make different decisions to get different outcomes. Which is like one of the core tenants of empowerment."

If there’s one message Brittany has for moms who need help, it’s this: "Keep going, keep trying and keep working. Keep asking for help. There are people out there that want to support you to level up."

All proceeds from Friday’s gala will go directly back to the Jeremiah Program.