Pictured above: Tina beams when she talks about her daughter Nellie, who at age two is already enrolled in a pre-school program that Tina takes her to five times a week

It's 7 a.m. and two-year old Nellie is much more interested in her toy guitar than she is in getting dressed for preschool.

"C'mon little woman, it's time to get ready," her mother Tina says, walking into the room carrying a crisp purple outfit. Nellie looks at her mother, drops the guitar and bounds across the room. She jumps onto a miniature Big-Wheel and zips toward her mother who quickly scoops up the little girl, triggering peals of laughter from them both.

It's clear that Nellie understands play time is over as she cocks her head and sticks out her arms when her mother slides on her shirt. The pants, however, are a different matter.

"I think she's putting on a show this morning," Tina notes, but in no time, Nellie is dressed, her hair is combed and she's slipped on her shoes, which Tina tightens after she shuts and locks the front door of her apartment. The two then head down the street and around the corner where a bus is scheduled to arrive within five minutes.

An hour later, Tina will have dropped Nellie off at an advanced pre-school program and will have made her way to PfP's offices. Tina has scheduled a review of her monthly budget and has a list for her month's stock of grocery shopping.

Tina and Nellie live in one of PfP's apartment buildings that is supported by a subsidy from the Department of Housing Urban Development. The apartment is a spacious two-bedroom that offers a gated back yard, a washer and dryer, a sizeable kitchen and plenty of room for Nellie's Big-Wheel activities.

Tina has been a client at PfP for little more than eight years and she says that the agency's level of care "feels wonderful." She also notes that her team of community support workers provides her encouragement to develop and strengthen her parenting skills and energies. "They've never given up on me," she explains when she talks about her team and how she's matured as a person and as a parent during her time with the agency. "They've helped me to become more independent, they're always positive and encouraging."

Tina's team insists that Tina's being modest when it comes to her own successes, especially when it comes to raising her daughter. "She asks a lot of questions and takes a lot of initiative," notes Team Leader Karen Slaven-Reynolds.

"You've always been there for me," Tina replies, "like I always want to be there...for Nellie."

Currently, there are more than 50 minor children whose parents are PfP clients. Providing parenting services, teaching and supporting parenting skills and assisting in arranging child care and medical care is not covered by PfP's Medicaid contract. These services are funded through support from the Trio Foundation, Pi Beta Phi Alumnae Club of St. Louis and individual donations.

Labels: Client Stories, Fall-Winter 2007, Parenting