Your Support Provides Opportunities for Shabari's Son that His Father Never Had

“I won’t let my son get lost in the system like me. I love my son, I can’t let what I went through happen to him.” Shabari Seay Sr.
 

Shabari Seay knows all too well what “the system” means for children. The Poughkeepsie native was taken from his mother as a child and bounced from distant relatives to foster care to prison. “It’s ridiculous how many kids in foster care wind up in prison,” Shabari tells us. Convicted for drug possession, it was his time in prison that convinced Shabari that he needed to turn his life around. He cleaned up, found work as a bus driver, and the 32 year old is now the loving father of 18 month old Shabari Seay, Jr.

“I won’t let my son get lost in the system like me.” But he was not able to work things out with his son’s mother, and soon learned that his son was at risk of being taken from his home and placed into the state’s care. Shabari knew that he had no choice but to try to get custody of his son. “I love my son, I can’t let what I went through happen to him."

In order to have time to pursue custody, Shabari had to leave his job, but he also had to move out of the shelter that had become his temporary home. Thanks to your support of United Way funded Case Management program at Catholic Charities, Shabari got the help he needed and is well on his way to getting custody of his son.

Shabari is planning to return to work as soon as possible and is now confident that he will be able to give his son the opportunities he never had, thanks to you.