Anita's Story

The Teenage Incentive Program has been helping young women for over 25 years in the Houston area.

Over those years TIP has connected, lost touch, and reconnected with the young ladies in the program, and Anita is one of them.

Anita was just a junior in high school when she found out she was pregnant. An alternative school that helps pregnant young women stay on track to graduate is where she met Mattie and the ladies of TIP.

Contemplating whether to keep or abort her child, while four to five months pregnant, TIP stepped in to talk and help her decide what was the best decision. TIP went over every option available to help her determine what was best for her and her baby. TIP also listened and let Anita and other young ladies express themselves on how they were feeling and what they were going through.

“Mattie helped me talk it through,” Anita said. “Just sharing those thoughts helped me.”

Anita had her son and graduated on time as planned, all while the TIP ladies stayed in contact and continuously helped her and other young ladies in the same circumstances.

“The ladies were very resourceful. They were dedicated to helping us.”

After high school, she lost contact with the Teenage Incentive Program and the women. 

Years later, Anita looked for Mattie and reached out to her by letter. In the letter, Anita thanked Mattie and the Teenage Incentive Program for helping her, when she was a part of the program in high school. 

Looking back as an adult, she can now recognize how caring and resourceful Mattie and TIP were to her when she was younger. A few years after reconnecting by letter and phone calls, Anita and TIP lost contact again but soon discovered she and Mattie attend the same church, Hope City. “We crossed paths again and I definitely thought it was God’s intent,” Anita said.

Anita and Mattie reconnected and have stayed in contact by reflecting over the years of how the Teenage Incentive Program was active in Anita’s life during her teenage pregnancy.

“Thank you for your services. We were meant to cross paths. Though I didn’t mention how (Mattie) impacted my life back then but I recognize it now.”

Anita is a proud mother of two, including her teen pregnancy baby who will be 25 in September 2020. Anita works in Human Resources at a retirement home and has a Meal Prep business that she enjoys.

By: Karisa Norfleet

TIP Writer