Growing Up with Circle of Parents
When Cecilia “CeCe” Cruz completed her first year at East Carolina University, she reached a milestone no one in her family had achieved before. Her path to college was shaped by hard work, determination and the steady encouragement of her mother, Amalia Velasquez. It was also guided by a community that had been walking alongside their family long before college was part of the conversation.
That community is Circle of Parents, a parent-led program of Catholic Charities in the Tar River Region. Growing out of a longstanding Hispanic women’s group, Circle of Parents brings families together to share experiences, learn from one another and connect with resources that help them navigate the challenges of raising children. The conversations may cover parenting, financial planning, mental health or education, but the common thread is parents supporting one another through every season of family life.
For Amalia, the program became much more than a monthly meeting. It became a place where lasting friendships formed and unfamiliar challenges became easier to face because someone else had already walked a similar path. “When we kno
w there’s going to be a meeting, everyone gets excited,” she said. “We’re going to meet up with everyone, have a fun time and see people we know.” Those relationships gave her not just community and information, but also the confidence to ask questions and seek opportunities for her children.
CeCe grew up alongside that community. While the adults met, she spent her early years playing with younger children. As she got older, she volunteered at events, helped care for those same children and gradually became part of the conversations herself. Looking back now, she sees those experiences differently. They helped spark her interest in pursuing psychology and working with children and families while showing her what it looks like when a community invests in one another.
That foundation became especially important as college entered the picture. One Circle of Parents meeting welcomed a representative from East Carolina University who answered questions about the admissions process. The presentation stayed with CeCe because it made college sound achievable and offered the practical advice she needed.
“There was an ECU student who explained scholarships, FAFSA and the transition from high school to college,” she recalled. “She helped me apply for ECU and for certain scholarships.”
For parents who may have limited college experience, the admissions process can feel overwhelming. Having someone to answer questions and explain each step can make all the difference. For Amalia, that guidance transformed an unfamiliar process into one she could confidently navigate alongside her daughter.
For Kimberly Gaskins, Program Director of the Tar River office, those moments capture the heart of Circle of Parents. “They’ve built that support system,” she said. “They all have children of different ages and different experiences, so they have the opportunity to share with each other.” Families don’t simply receive information; they learn from one another in ways that continue long after each meeting ends.
Today, CeCe’s story is one example of what can grow from those relationships. Circle of Parents helped create an environment where her family could ask questions, discover new possibilities and move forward together. Reflecting on the families she has watched over the years, Liz McDowell, Catholic Charities Regional Director for the Tar River region, summed it up simply: “To see our families be as successful as they are… it’s been more than we anticipated or could have hoped for.”