When Carla Di Stefano is not studying, working or spending time with her daughter, Isabella, she loves to be in the kitchen where she cooks a homemade lasagna with an Italian sauce — her mom’s recipe.

Preparing the meal makes her feel closer to home.

Two years ago, Carla moved to Texas from Venezuela with Isabella in hopes of giving her then 14-year-old daughter a better life. It was the right thing to do — her grandparents had done the same for her parents who were also 14 when they immigrated from Italy to Venezuela. They spent July of 2022 in a motel before moving to an apartment where they occupied one room, sharing the common space with strangers. Carla, who had worked in business administration in Venezuela, scrambled to find a job and put food on the table.

Carla moved to Texas from Venezuela in 2022 with Isabella in hopes of giving her then 14-year-old daughter a better life. 

Isabella relied on the little English she knew to help her mom translate menus at restaurants, make appointments, and navigate online banking so her mom could pay bills. If Carla got sick or had a problem at work, Isabella was there to help. She cleaned the apartment and cooked meals while her mom spent 12-hour days at work. 

By November 2022, Carla was standing in line at The Storehouse’s Seven Loaves Food Pantry. Her hotel housekeeping and babysitting jobs weren’t making ends meet. Here, thanks to the positioning of Project Hope staff at each food distribution, she learned about The Academy’s ESL classes. She had already started searching for a place to study English and filled out dozens of online interest forms but hadn’t heard back. This opportunity sounded promising.

“Every person has a purpose, and if you want to follow that purpose here you have to speak English,” Carla said. “The Storehouse has given me motivation and encouragement to follow my purpose.” She started classes in the Spring of 2024. That same semester, Isabella started to volunteer as a teacher’s assistant.

At The Storehouse, they have found a community that feels like family. It’s more than a place to learn English and job skills, and access food or other resources. The support from other neighbors living through similar situations, caring staff, and volunteers gave them new hope and motivation. It showed them that their dreams are not out of reach.

A TRANSFORMATIVE SUPPORT SYSTEM

On the first day of class, Carla arrived early for the assembly in a blue-lit room with vaulted ceilings and rows of hundreds of chairs filled with students just like her. At the end of the welcome presentation, everyone gathered on stage for a group photo. Carla smiled wide.

In the classroom, she was a fast learner and soon became a role model and friend to her classmates, offering guidance during grammar lessons and motivating them to prioritize learning. Like many others who attend The Academy, Carla’s job didn’t leave much time for socializing or meeting new friends. But Saturday morning meant laughs with Julio, hugs from Nayivis, and chats with Carolina.

At the end of the Spring semester, Carla walked across the stage to receive her certificate for completing level 101 as her parents watched via
livestream from Venezuela. Her 84-year-old dad called to tell her how proud he felt. 

The Academy has also helped Isabella find a much needed support system. As a part of The Academy’s volunteer team, she was a teacher’s assistant and became a teacher this fall. She met friends she can rely on for guidance, gained confidence in her English skills and found immense satisfaction in helping others — something she has always wanted to do, especially as she grew up witnessing hardships in her community in Venezuela.

When a student was having trouble pronouncing numbers, Isabella remembered a trick she had used to learn the same thing and taught it to her student. Two weeks later, her student pronounced the numbers with ease and didn’t even need to look at her vocabulary list for help. 

“If I talked with my 14-year-old self she would be so surprised with how much I have changed and how happy I am now,” Isabella said. “I have confidence now. I’m not afraid to go to a place and order food or talk to my teachers or make friends.”

PURSUING THEIR PASSIONS

Isabella is starting to apply for colleges and is interested in studying forensic science or criminology. She was going to go to community college but said the support from people at The Storehouse has given her the confidence to apply to four-year universities as well.

For Carla, The Academy has given her a chance to get back to the career she loves. She was working as a housekeeper and a babysitter when she first started classes, but during her first semester, she began working in the insurance field as a financial educator for the Latino community and received a promotion this summer. The photo from the first day of Academy classes sits on her desk. It has become her mission to help the Latino community, especially other single moms, see that they can pursue their passions. In two years, she wants to be fluent in English and work as an executive in her company.

Carla and Isabella moved into their own apartment this summer and got a new friend — Loki, a fluffy, black kitty. For the first time in two years, Isabella has her own room, and with help from The Storehouse’s Project Hope, Isabella got her own bed.

The Storehouse aims to transform the lives of more neighbors like Carla and Isabella. Will you kindly contribute before December 31 to help us meet our end year fundraising goal?

GIVE NOW

Donate & Receive a 2025 Desk Calendar with Original Artwork by Isabella Meza

Carla and Isabella came to The Storehouse expecting to only receive food. Instead, they found a community, language classes, and volunteer opportunities. More than that, they found confidence and hope. 

Isabella also created a beautiful desk calendar for our Storehouse donors this year. With your gift of $50 or more, you will have the opportunity to receive a calendar to remind you of your impact throughout the year.

About the Author: Haeven Gibbons 

Haeven is a volunteer ESL teacher for The Storehouse Academy Program and the founder of Haev Studios, a storytelling agency that works alongside changemakers to share their stories and generate positive impact. She’s passionate about working in diverse communities and amplifying marginalized voices to drive social change. Before starting her own business, Haeven worked as a reporter for The Dallas Morning News, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and AM New York. 

To learn more about her work, visit her website.