Post by Sandra L. Jackson, President & CEO of House of Ruth
I have been blessed to learn about many of you — our most loyal donors and supporters — over the past eight years that I have been with House of Ruth. And through my monthly notes, I have tried to give you a little light into who I am. I want to be more clear this month, and help you understand who I am and why I am so driven to help the women, children and families at House of Ruth.
I always knew I wanted to help people. Maybe it has to do with my name — Sandra — which means helper of mankind. But I also know how much my mother shaped my life. She was my first role model of a social worker. She influenced my decision to pursue the helping profession and become a social worker. She instilled within me the value of service and supporting others to reach their goals. She also demonstrated hard work and a “can do” spirit. I can never remember her saying something was impossible, it was always clear there was a way to make it happen. Therefore, I push myself and yes, I push others — never asking more of others than I ask of myself. I strive for the highest goal, and I do not quit until I reach that goal.
On the other hand, I nurture my faith, and love time with my family, laughing, dancing, eating crabs and listening to the greatest music of all time — Motown. I love to go to concerts and my friends laugh at me because when some of the old groups from the Motown era are coming to town, they tease me saying “Do you really want to see one real original member (1 Temptation or 1 Top) from the original group? And I respond “yes,” because it is the spirit of the music, lyrics from the songs that speak to my soul.
I honestly believe — my life was orchestrated and ordained from the beginning. I am where I am supposed to be. There were times when things happened in my life, it was not always clear where it was leading, and I did not know how it would propel me to something better. But as I look back, I can see now what I was being set up to be, what I was supposed to learn from that experience and what vineyard I was supposed to be cultivating.
I have a great passion for children — because they are so vulnerable but have some much potential. And when their lives are nurtured and supported with healthy relationships, resources, and opportunities — they thrive and flourish. My children have had that, and I believe every child deserves that as well. So, I have made it my mission and life’s work to ensure that every child that I have the reach to touch — through my work at House of Ruth — will succeed in life.
Thank you for joining me on this journey and thank you for supporting the women, children and families at House of Ruth.
It always seems impossible until it’s done.
– Nelson Mandela