Breaking Cycles, Building Futures: How Fristers Transforms Young Families in Orange County
By: Jessica Susolik
When Ali Woodard found herself pregnant at 16 in Orange County, her college dreams and career aspirations seemed to evaporate. Beyond medical care, she discovered a critical gap in support services for young mothers who didn't need shelter but desperately needed guidance, education, and community. This personal experience stayed with her, eventually inspiring her to establish Fristers in 2008—now celebrating 16 years of transforming young lives across Orange County, solely dedicated to supporting teen parents and their children. In 2023 alone, they impacted the lives of 259 parents and 344 children through four strategically placed chapters in Santa Ana, Anaheim, Fountain Valley, and Mission Viejo—areas selected specifically to address the highest concentrations of teen pregnancy in the county.
"We really celebrate achievements, setting goals, and moving forward," says Woodard. "We provide all the tools, resources, and encouragement, but they have to sit there at 10 o'clock at night with a baby on their lap doing homework. We can't do it for them."
This emphasis on empowerment while providing comprehensive support has led to remarkable outcomes. While nationally only 50% of teen mothers graduate high school—a statistic that often condemns young families to generational poverty—Fristers boasts a 100% high school graduation rate among program graduates. The success stories are inspiring: an airline pilot soaring through the skies, a psychologist running her private practice, a PE coach shaping young minds in the Irvine Unified School District, and numerous other professionals who started their journeys as teenage parents in crisis.
Take Jessica's story: she arrived at Fristers while pregnant at 17, shunned by her disappointed family. Through the organization's support, she not only completed high school but earned her bachelor's degree from Cal State Long Beach and a master's from USC. Today, she's a school counselor in the same district where she once struggled as a pregnant teen, has opened her private practice, and is pursuing her doctorate—all while raising her son as a single mother.
Understanding that strong families require healthy relationships, Fristers offers four interconnected programs:
The LifeCoach program serves as the cornerstone, providing young mothers with essential parenting skills, financial literacy training, and career guidance. Weekly group meetings begin with shared meals, building crucial community connections among participants who often feel isolated and judged by society.
Recognizing that fathers are frequently overlooked in teen parenting support, the Just for Dads program provides specialized coaching and resources. Research validates this approach: children with involved fathers are 39% more likely to earn A's in school and twice as likely to attend college and find stable employment after high school.
The Couples Group program teaches vital communication skills, conflict resolution, and co-parenting strategies. "We believe in the significance of the family," Woodard explains. "A healthy parent-parent relationship creates the climate for positive parenting and emotional home life."
Perhaps most revolutionary is the Kidsters program, addressing the stark reality that only 52% of Orange County children enter kindergarten ready to learn. Through developmental milestone assessments, early childhood education, and innovative home learning boxes filled with educational materials, Fristers ensures these children don't start school already behind their peers.
"We're really attacking two things first: ensuring basic needs and improving mental health," Woodard explains. "When you get those taken care of, you can start building skills and helping them move forward." This comprehensive approach includes partnering with experts like Human Options for domestic violence education and SunWest Bank for financial literacy training.
The impact of Fristers resonates deeply with volunteers like Kerstin Schmitt, who understands the challenges these young parents face from personal experience. "My mom was a teen mom, and to say the least, it was not ideal. She struggled immensely with shame and lack of resources," Schmitt shares. "Looking back as an adult, I think what Fristers offers to these young moms is invaluable. It would have been so much better if she had had this kind of support."
Operating entirely on community support without government funding, Fristers thrives through strategic partnerships providing essential resources: meeting spaces, meals, educational materials, and professional services. Over 200 monthly volunteers contribute their time and talents, while community partners offer everything from pro bono legal services to photography for special events.
For those looking to make a lasting impact, Fristers offers multiple ways to support their mission: one-time gifts that change individual lives, monthly donations providing sustained support, stock contributions offering tax advantages, and planned giving options that create lasting legacies.
As one participant, Jasmine, reflects, "Because of Fristers, I learned to love myself and my child." This sentiment echoes through hundreds of transformed lives, demonstrating how targeted support and genuine care can break cycles of poverty and create generational change in Orange County.
Transform lives through Fristers:
(949) 387-7889 | info@fristers.org | Social @fristersoc
Support: One-time gifts, monthly contributions & stock contributions (Tax ID #80-0280166)
Young parents (13-25) seeking support are welcome at any of our four Orange County locations.