We had the good fortune of connecting with Alicia Miller and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alicia, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
My organization is a nonprofit that empowers young mothers in the foster care and human trafficking systems. Our mission is to break the generational cycle for teen mothers and their children. Teenage girls in the foster care system are 30% more likely to become pregnant than their peers who are not in the system. And once they’ve had their baby, their child is 25% more likely to end up in the foster care system than other babies whose parents were never in the system. We are one of only 12 DCF licensed maternity group homes in the state of Florida that are helping to preserve the family and keep children and their mothers together. We not only provide a safe and loving environment to live, we also provide food, clothing, parenting classes, budgeting, etc. so that young mothers can learn to be successful and independent on their own.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I have spent nearly 20 years working with at-risk youth in my career. I started with teaching high school and eventually moved into the nonprofit sector and helped students apply and get financial aid for college. I then went to work as the Adoption Specialist, where I learned much of what I now know about the Foster Care system and spent my time helping teens get placed into adoptive homes. It was not easy but it was a journey that was needed so that I could understand all aspects of nonprofit and running a company. It’s important to me that I do not lose the beginning of my story so that I can stay connected to youth. I have learned that it is not always easy staying connected to your mission and your “why” when you begin running the company. There are many aspects as a CEO that take you away from the clients and the mission and force you to focus on the business and financial details but it’s important to stay connected and always come back to where you started so that you remember why you are doing what you are doing. I want the world to know that I am passionate and I never give up. When I put my mind to something, I will accomplish it one way or another. I encourage the young women that I work with to have that mentality as well.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Fort Myers has a lot of fun things to do, especially for beach lovers. We would drive to the Sanibel Causeway and catch the sunset and put our toes in the sand and water. We’d then hit up a locally famous beach bar like Doc Ford’s or Parrot Key to grab drinks and some fried seafood.

One of the benefits of living off of McGregor Blvd. in Fort Myers is “golf cart traveling”. Cruising down the street in a su’ped up golf cart, making your way downtown to catch dinner at Izzy’s Seafood and a drink at the 86 room is something that you can only do locally.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My Board of Directors is a group comprised of 9 phenomenal women who support me, teach me, and help me grow myself as a leader and this agency. I love them and am so thankful that they’ve given me the freedom to spread my wings.

Website: www.ourmothershome.org

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ourmothershome

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