A mother of two, Kandyce couldn’t find a way to balance work, child care and her career. She started her postsecondary education several times, dropping it whenever life got in the way.

“I always told myself ‘I’ll come back, I’ll pick up where I left off,’ but life got busy and I never did,” Kandyce says. “It’s like quicksand, you think you’re stable but you’re sinking slowly.”

She knew what she wanted: To make a difference for others by working in medicine while also supporting her two children. She found herself stuck in a loop of “settling”, paying her bills but never making progress toward her goals. “I wasn’t going anywhere. I had settled and that realization hit hard,” she says.

With the support of United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County’s Dual Generation Initiative, Kandyce was able to focus on her education and her family’s future. With Dual Generation, Kandyce’s children had access to quality child care and at no cost to her. This ensured she could focus more on her education without the burden of paying the high cost of child care.

“I was on the verge of dropping out, I couldn’t balance kids and class,” she says. “It was hard to open up and say I needed help but when I did, everything changed.”

The Dual Generation Initiative was like “finding a life vest while drowning,” she says. She was provided with child care, rent and utility assistance, food, mentorship and even Christmas gifts for her children.

When her son was kicked out of his daycare due to behavior, she knew something wasn’t right. Dual Generation services helped her get medical support for her son, which revealed his autism diagnosis. “Without Dual Gen, I would’ve missed it and just blamed myself as a mom,” Kandyce said. “Because of their support, he’s in ABA therapy and he’s doing great. I now understand his world and how to prepare him for life.”

United Way’s Dual Generation Initiative makes families stronger, allowing them to achieve greater stability for their future. By removing barriers to housing, education, child care and employment, Dual Generation helps families create a brighter, more successful future for both the parents and the children.

With the help of United Way, Kandyce has earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and is working toward becoming an anesthesiologist at the University of Texas. “I’m not done yet, this is just the beginning. I used to think that life was just bills and survival but now I see a future,” she says.

She is proud to be working in the medical field today, making a difference in the world every day.

“United Way changed the trajectory of my children’s lives,” Kandyce says. “It has granted me the life I have now, without those resources I wouldn’t be here today.”

Watch Kandyce’s story on our YouTube channel.