When Dilleyona Miller found out she was pregnant at 17, she worried her pregnancy might compromise her identity as a high-achieving student with a promising future.

Now 26 and the mother of three boys, Miller remembers how her life changed overnight. “In high school, my teachers would commend me,” she recalled. “I would get so much praise. Everyone knew, ‘Dilley is so smart. She’s such a leader.’ There was so much positivity. Once pregnancy came into the picture, it was like that light shut off, and I was just floating through this void.”

Miller is not alone. In 2021, about 140,000 children were born to teen moms in the United States. In 2023, 1.46 million children lived with single mothers younger than 30. And many confront the same concerns Miller did. 

In the years that followed, Miller felt the support of her family, but with their own lives to manage, she was often left to face challenges on her own. Much of the parenting help she received centered on her children — which she appreciated — but it sometimes left her feeling isolated. “People were only supporting me because of the kids,” she said. “They weren’t supporting me as an individual.”

She largely navigated motherhood alone. She tried going to college and then to dental hygiene school, but working, attending class, and caring for her children kept her in a constant state of overwhelm. 

What if we approached teen moms differently? 

That’s where New Moms comes in. The organization started over 40 years ago when the founder, Ellen Kogstad, saw a need in her Chicago neighborhood: young mothers without support. Instead of waiting for someone in authority to recognize the issue, Kogstad took the initiative to identify and solve it at the local level. She started distributing diapers and formula from the trunk of her car. And it has only grown from there. Today, New Moms offers housing, job training, family support, and academic coaching programs. 

The nonprofit acts as a partner for mothers, recognizing their strength, resilience, and extraordinary potential. 

According to the Social Impact Research Center of Heartland Alliance, every dollar invested in New Moms generates nearly $4 in social return within five years, proving that when young mothers are empowered with the right tools, they thrive. And when they thrive, so do their children and communities — for generations to come. 

That return shows up in real outcomes: 73% of moms doubled their income, up to 57% were employed or enrolled in further education, and 77% had moved into stable housing — outpacing national averages and creating ripple effects that extend far beyond themselves.

“At New Moms, I had a team of people who dedicated their time primarily to me and helping me accomplish my goals,” said Miller. 

Bright Endeavors, the organization’s social enterprise, is a key part of the personalized support. Participants gain valuable job and leadership skills, putting them into practice as they make candles that are sold across the country. The program also provides individualized career planning, assistance with school enrollment or re-enrollment, and support in securing permanent employment.

What would happen if more people acted on similar opportunities in their own neighborhoods?

The invisible load young moms carry

What seems routine to an outsider is often extraordinary for a young single mother.

“Some of our moms are doing things I can’t even imagine ever having to do,” said Pamela Bozeman, chief operating officer of New Moms. “We have moms with one or two kids, navigating buses and trains through tough neighborhoods in all kinds of weather — just to get their children to day care, get themselves to work, then do the whole thing in reverse, come home, cook dinner, and maybe even do homework.”

“Young mothers often face difficult choices, but their determination is unmistakable,” said Nika Vaughan, director of Bright Endeavors. Watching their growth is one of the most inspiring parts of her job. 

“Sometimes it’s just about exposure,” she said. “They can’t dream what they haven’t seen. But once you show them the path, they go for it.”

When Miller first joined New Moms, she was withdrawn and guarded. She was also pregnant with her third child and reluctant to tell anyone. When she finally did share the news, the celebratory response changed everything. Her supervisors and coworkers remembered her appointments, asked to see ultrasound photos, and shared in her joy. For the first time, her pregnancy was met with genuine excitement, no undue judgment or shame.

Over time, Miller felt her guard coming down. “It was like my shell just slowly started to break open,” she said. “It wasn’t like, ‘Oh, she’s pregnant. We’re not talking to the pregnant one.’ I wasn’t ignored. I wasn’t just put on a shelf for being pregnant. It was like, ‘OK, yeah, you’re pregnant. We’ll keep that in mind.’ And then everyone was cheering me on.”

In her job at Bright Endeavors, she wasn’t seen only as a mom. She was recognized as a leader and a valued member of the team. Her coworkers remembered her children’s names, asked how potty training was going, and offered genuine, personal support. She was surrounded by other mothers who understood — who could share the daily juggling act of navigating life with little ones.

One day, her manager at Bright Endeavors gently touched Miller’s growing belly and said a quiet prayer for her baby. 

“That touched my soul so much,” Miller recalled. “I was like, wow, I’m really here. These are people who actually support me. They’re not shaming me or rooting for my downfall, and I don’t have to prove them wrong. They’re not just supporting me. Once you feel all that love, it’s like, wow.”

Age magnifies the impact of young moms

Miller described her first five years of motherhood as a struggle. “You can only do what life throws at you,” she said. “You get into this survival mode, like, OK, this has happened. Let me adjust, let me manage.”

With the support she received at New Moms, that cycle began to shift. She recently accepted a full-time position with benefits as a school bus driver in Minnesota — an opportunity she said she never would have pursued without the work experience and executive skills she gained at Bright Endeavors.

She’s building financial security as well as emotional and mental stability for her family.

“Teen moms genuinely love their children, and they’re doing everything they possibly can to raise the best and brightest,” said Bozeman.

“This doesn’t just impact one life,” said Vaughan. “It impacts the children, and as they grow, they’re still part of our city, our community, our neighborhoods, and we want them to start off on the best foot possible.”

Miller’s story is proof of that. Her home is filled with joy, energy, and big personalities — including her three boys, who each carry a piece of the confidence and hope she’s worked so hard to reclaim.

Montez is in third grade — and a bit of an overachiever like his mom. He is in a rap group at school, and his new hobby is trying to prove he’s taller than his mom. “Relax, you’re 9,” she tells him with a chuckle. “You’ve got time.”

Emmanuel is Miller’s natural-born charmer. He walks into a room like he owns it, gives out hugs like candy, and asks every stranger, “Want to be my friend?” 

“I’m proud,” said Miller. “But I’m also like, maybe ask their name first, son.” She once noticed him hugging everyone in the room. “The adults were lined up like, ‘My turn, my turn!’” 

And then there’s Emauje, her 1-year-old wild man, who just learned to walk and now runs — especially if he’s got something his mom or brothers want. “He’ll run and wobble side to side, trying to get away from you,” said Miller. “It’s the cutest thing you’ve ever seen. His brothers just absolutely love him.”

Miller’s journey — and the light in her eyes when she speaks of her sons — is a powerful example of the vital role young mothers play in shaping the course of future generations.

“Young mothers who arrive at New Moms hesitant to make eye contact leave with the confidence to advocate for themselves and their children in any setting,” said Vaughn. “That’s the real measure of success.”

Gaining skills to thrive 

A key part of empowering young mothers is helping them recognize their own value and build the tools to thrive. At New Moms and Bright Endeavors, this starts with teaching essential executive skills — like task initiation, emotional regulation, and time management — that build confidence and increase capacity in every area of life.

Through executive skills training, Miller realized that everyday tasks — like getting her kids ready for school or planning dinner — were actually leadership traits. 

“My strongest executive skill is planning and prioritization,” she said. “This is just something that I do.”

“Somewhere about week eight, maybe seven, we start to see a sense of ownership and accountability,” said Bozeman. That increased self-awareness, paired with hands-on experience, lays the groundwork. 

“There is often a false perception that our young moms are lacking the capacity to become skilled,” said Vaughan, “I love the marriage of the executive skills and the production floor. They learn these executive skills that get into task management, time management, and understanding the big picture of a project. Then, when we have a corporate gift order of 400 units, we’re actively problem-solving as a department and a team.”

For Miller, the experience opened the door to a wave of unexpected opportunities — being chosen as a tour guide, attending a gala, sharing her story in interviews. 

Each moment slowly replaced her self-doubt with a growing confidence in her abilities. “I was there. I mattered. I stood out,” she said. “And even now, I still matter to these people.” 

Her story is a reminder that young mothers are full of incredible potential and the ability to overcome obstacles to create a better life for themselves and their children. 

This is something Bozeman reiterated. “Life goes on,” she said. “Children grow up. Young moms have decades ahead of them and will make many great decisions for themselves and their families.”

New Moms is supported by Stand Together Foundation, which empowers individuals to reach their full potential through community-driven change.

Learn more about Stand Together’s efforts to build strong and safe communities and explore ways you can partner with us.