When Isabel looks at her six-month-old son, Samuel, she sees hope.
Every sacrifice she has made, every obstacle she has overcome, and every step she continues to take toward building a new life is for him.
“I want him to become somebody in life,” she says.
Only a short time ago, that future felt uncertain. After difficult circumstances in Panama forced her family to leave their home, Isabel and her mother came to New York determined to build a safer, more hopeful future. Arriving in February 2024, she was beginning life over in an unfamiliar city while preparing to become a first-time mother.
Today, she is raising Samuel with the support of Catholic Charities of New York. She first came to the Cardinal Spellman Community Center seeking legal assistance, but what she found was far more than the help she expected. She found a compassionate community that continues to walk alongside her as she builds a new life for her family.
A Journey of Hope
Like many parents, Isabel wants nothing more than to give her child every opportunity to thrive.
Before coming to New York, she had been studying to become a kindergarten teacher — a career she still hopes to pursue one day. She also dreams of improving her English, continuing her education, and building a stable future for Samuel.
Motherhood has transformed her priorities.
She laughs as she remembers enjoying nights out with friends before Samuel was born. Now, because he is still breastfeeding, she happily chooses evenings at home.
“My mom tells me to go out sometimes,” she says. “But I’d rather stay with my baby.”
Every decision she makes now begins with him. Although Isabel initially came to Catholic Charities of New York seeking support, she quickly found something equally important: people who genuinely cared about her family’s well-being. “They make me feel very appreciated,” she says. “I’m very thankful for everything.”
A Community of Support
While Isabel’s journey is unique, the challenges facing families with young children are shared by many across New York City.
Located in Manhattan’s East Village, the Cardinal Spellman Community Center serves a neighborhood where many families struggle with rising housing, food, and childcare costs. Nearly one in four residents live below the poverty line, and the neighborhood’s median household income is about 31% lower than Manhattan’s.
The center’s impact extends far beyond the East Village, serving as a hub where New Yorkers from throughout the city can access compassionate support, essential resources, and pathways to greater stability.
For many parents, even basic necessities like diapers, infant formula, wipes, and children’s clothing can quickly become out of reach. To help meet these growing needs, Catholic Charities of New York transformed the Cardinal Spellman Community Center in early 2026 with the creation of the Mother & Baby Boutique.
Designed to give children the healthiest possible start in life, the boutique provides diapers, formula, wipes, infant clothing, books, maternal wellness items, and other essentials to new and expectant mothers at no cost. Families are welcomed into a bright, home-like space where they can “shop” with dignity while spending time reading and relaxing with their children. Today, approximately 50 mothers visit the boutique each week, with participation expected to continue growing.
Beyond the boutique, mothers like Isabel can also access nutritious food through the center’s pantry, receive household essentials, and participate in educational programs that offer parenting guidance and information about their child’s developmental milestones. Together, these resources help families strengthen their support systems and give children a healthy start in life.
For this past Mother’s Day, Isabel received a basket filled with baby essentials. Months later, many of those gifts are still part of Samuel’s daily routine.
“The bottles are still very useful,” she says with a smile. For Isabel, those items represented much more than material assistance. They were a reminder that she and Samuel were supported by a community that wanted them to succeed.
For many families, the Mother & Baby Boutique is only the beginning.
The Cardinal Spellman Community Center serves as an entry point to a broader network of support, connecting parents with case management, English language classes, employment resources, food assistance, family support services, and many other programs that help families build stable lives. The center also plans to open a new client-choice food pantry and community programing to expand its ability to meet the growing needs of the overall community.
“We want families to feel like they’re a part of us, so they can feel that they are not alone,” says Carmen Soto, Isabel’s case manager at the center.
Building a Brighter Future
As Isabel continues building her new life, she remains focused on creating the future she once feared might not be possible. Her dream is simple: to continue her education, become a kindergarten teacher, and give Samuel every opportunity to succeed.
When asked what advice she would offer another mother facing difficult circumstances, her answer reflects the resilience that has carried her through every challenge.
“Keep going,” she says. “No matter how hard it gets, don’t give up. Think about your baby.”
It is advice she lives every day.
At the Cardinal Spellman Community Center, mothers like Isabel find more than diapers. They find dignity and a community that believes in them during life’s most challenging moments.
For Isabel, that support has made it possible to focus on what matters most: giving Samuel the safe, healthy, and hopeful beginning every child deserves.
Names have been changed to protect the family’s privacy.
