Madison MacDonald: Raising Awareness for Teen Moms

As a senior at Tracy High School, Madison MacDonald was interested in holding a fundraiser to support pregnant teens. Growing up, Madison remembers stories of her grandma’s struggles as a teen mother, and although it was generations later, she wanted to help bring awareness to the commonly overlooked challenges teenage mothers face. After much research she decided that the Women’s Center Youth & Family Services Safe House was the right fit. It’s a place for runaway and homeless youth ages 12 to 17 to receive wraparound services such as support groups, life skills training, parenting classes and shelter. When choosing an organization to support, it was important to Madison that the funds collected went to resources for pregnant teens. 

A teenage pregnancy can feel incredibly scary and overwhelming, especially if you are going through it alone. Expecting teenagers are at a higher risk for school dropout, unemployment and mental health issues. With the funds donated to Madison’s project, she hopes that teens will have the resources they need to feel supported and encouraged during this challenging time. 

She began helping Safe House by attending community events, offering information and talking about resources available. She gave handmade bracelets to anyone who donated to help support Safe House. To date, she has raised more than $1,500. Although she is graduating this coming year, she has decided to continue her efforts to raise awareness and support pregnant teens. Madison plans to attend college and will continue to help others, especially her Tracy community. 

When asked what she enjoyed about this project, Madison responded, “Since there are limited resources, I enjoy shedding light on what is available for pregnant teens! I am glad that I am able to help teens connect with the resources that are available for them in our community.”