My Lemon Tree Inspiration: Setting the stage

I’ve spent some time in the first 5 posts showing why this cause is so important to our communities. Of course, there are many other reasons which I will discuss over time; this is just a beginning.

Over the next series of posts, I’d like to demonstrate why this issue is so important to me personally, and introduce you to my inspiration for the Lemon Tree.

My inspiration:
A little over 5 years ago, I met someone incredibly special. A person with a big heart and a great mind, but who had never had the opportunities I got. This person grew up in a small community in the US – though she would argue that the “small community” she grew up in was no small community at all because it’s the seat of government for the county. But, here’s the back story…

Nichole grew up in a world that I had only seen in movies and on TV (sure, maybe I was a little sheltered): Her family was on welfare and food stamps. (A little fun fact about food stamps: they only buy food. No soap, no toothpaste, no toilet paper. And, they’re actually called “food coupons”. Want more info, click here.) Nichole rarely, if ever, had new clothes – being the youngest of three, she usually received hand-me-downs. Their home was provided, in part, by county subsidies. And, the odds that their car would start in the morning were as good as the odds you’d win at a game of slots at the casino.

You’d like to think that was the worst of it, but such is not the case. Poverty often breeds despair; Nichole witnessed teenage pregnancies, drug use, abuse and overdose, alcoholism, and domestic assault.

Not that anyone should, but humour me… Can you imagine growing up in this environment and succeeding in school? Nichole quit high school in grade 10.

Over the course of the next week, I’ll share some personal stories on behalf of Nichole, and lead up to her ambitions, dreams and plan of attack.

A word of caution here: The posts may contain mature subjects. Reader discretion is advised.