Singer Pursues New Dream: Helping Families

Maya McFadden Photo

Veronica Alston.

Singer Veronica Alston is retiring her musician dream to drum up support for teen parents and eventually other vulnerable youth. 

Since she was 9 years old, Alston planned to be on a stage living out her dream to be a professional singer. During the pandemic she shifted her focus from singing to starting a nonprofit organization that will work with under resourced youth.

Alston, 54, is a New Haven native whom many know for her smooth rhythmic voice singing R&B, neo-soul, and gospel music. She has sung solo and in the band the Veronica Lynn Project.

She plans to kick off her new journey with her not-for-profit Opportunity For Growth with a resource expo for teen parents on Saturday April 30. 

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While Alston still sings in her church choir, in recent years she has been developing her passion for helping others, particularly vulnerable youth. 

In 2017 Alston was laid off from her job as a social worker. She has since struggled with getting fully back into the work force. During her break from full-time work Alston found where she fits in. While working with youth, she recalled thinking to herself, Maybe this is my niche.”

In 2020, Alston found summer work with the help of the Workforce Alliance aiding homeless youth as a community relation specialist. 

She has also since been doing volunteer and part-time work in verbal meditation and recovery assistance for homeless individuals in local shelters. She currently volunteers with New Lifestyles Women Empowerment, aiding women battling with drug and alcohol addictions, homelessness, and reentry into society.

Alston’s dream is to open up a safe house for pregnant teens as a long-term goal. Her short-term goal is to create a non-profit that aims to provide vulnerable youth with physical, mental and emotional resources that will enhance growth, stability, and independence, she said. In the near future she hopes to offer virtual classes on parenting, financial literacy, job search, and resume writing through the not-for-profit.

This is coming from my heart,” Alston said. It’s not a good feeling when you feel like you always need help.”

In 2021 Alston joined the Neighborhood Leadership Program (NLP) through The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven (CFGNH). As a result, she will now pilot her first nonprofit event for teen moms with funding assistance from CFGNH. The April 30 event will start as a resource expo from 12 – 2 p.m., when young people can hear from groups like Heathy Start, Read to Grow, St. Gianna Pregnancy Resource Center, All Our Kin, and the New Haven Health Department’s Amber Jackson. The event will be hosted at the Adoni Spiritual Formation Center. Alston aims to connect teen parents with organizations that offer support with nutrition, car-seat safety, self care, and affordable daycare. 

From 2 – 4 p.m. Alston plans to shift the event’s focus to a group discussion over lunch about mentorship and to introduce her not-for-profit while gathering input about what forms of support parents need. 

Alston currently attends the Parent Leadership Training Institute (PLTI), a 20-week course, which is helping her prepare to launch her organization.

Alston’s passion for helping her community also stems from living two decades totally blind. After losing her sight to glaucoma, she said, she knows what it feels like to need resources.” And I know what it feels like to pick up the phone and someone tells you they’ll get back to you in 24 to 48 business hours. The wait for help is a hard one.”

She hopes for the not-for-profit to also offer lessons in cycling, baking, and gardening. She also envisions hosting movie nights, support groups, art therapy, and stress management classes as well as help with baby resources, job-interview clothing, and transportation passes.

As the not-for-profit grows, she hopes to bring her husband, Luis Alston, on board to offer teen dad mentorship opportunities and entrepreneurship lessons. Alston has four children including two step children. Her daughter, Jazmyn Washington, 16, uses her interest in digital designing to create graphics for the not-for-profit. 

Mom daughter duo; Jazmyn Washington and Alston.

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