At ages 19 and 21, Amber Calfy and David Ward learned they would soon become parents. Like most parents, they were nervous and anxious; however, they faced more challenges than most.
They were young, had low-paying jobs and Amber had grown up in an unstable environment. As a child, Amber moved to multiple states to live with different caregivers. “My mom didn’t want us anymore, so she gave us up to an uncle when I was in the fourth grade,” Amber said. That uncle went through a divorce and become an alcoholic; therefore, at age 16, Amber became responsible for herself. She dropped out of high school and began working to pay for housing, food and clothes.