Krista was a single mother with a teenage daughter when she adopted two brothers from the same family. They were with her for a few years, and then their biological brother and sister also joined their family:
“Now I have all four siblings together as brothers and sisters in the home, the way it was meant to be!”
Krista first heard of the HIPPY program in at Vancouver Native Health Society through her early childhood support worker and has now been a participant for several years. The HIPPY program has helped three of her children, especially her youngest:
“When he first came to me, he was very shy. Quiet. But in the last couple of years, he’s really blossomed. He’s become a very friendly, outgoing guy.”
The HIPPY program has helped Krista prepare her children for kindergarten because it teaches letters, numbers, shapes, and colours. Most of all, however, Krista is thankful for the opportunity HIPPY gave her to bond with her children amidst the family’s busy schedules:
“I never expected to be a single mother with five kids at a later stage in my life but it definitely was meant to be and I’m happy with the way things did turn out!”