The Importance of a Support System - Mary Ella’s Experience

  Group Member: Mary Ella Cook 

Hello! My name is Mary Ella Cook and I am part of Vols Put a Hand Up for Women's Worth! I have truly enjoyed working with this group and the Hand Up for Women nonprofit. It has opened my eyes to how fortunate I am to have people that support me. It has been a great experience supporting women in need and making a difference in our community. 



My Grade School Support System:

When I was very young, my family and I moved from south Mississippi to Nashville, Tennessee. We moved about 8 hours away from all of my family and friends to a city that I did not know. It was hard at first to find my place but I had to surround myself with people that supported me and always had my back. Coming from a far place made it more difficult to make friends considering these people had been friends since they were in pre-k. I felt like I had a late start. I finally joined my cheer team and I knew I could lean on and grow with them. All throughout middle school until high school seniors, we were each other's support system. We made mistake, learned from them, and grew together. I would not be who I am today without them. 


My College Support System: 

After high school, my friend group scattered. We all went to different universities around the country. I once again moved to a foreign place I did not know much about, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. While I have found amazing friends and community here, I struggled to find the feeling of support I felt in high school. College is much harder, more demanding, and everybody is in the same boat. My family has always been there encouraging me and supporting me, but it was when I got to college that I truly started to lean on them. My mother and father are people that I constantly strive to me. They are the greatest role models and the strongest support system. I never have to guess if they have my back because I know they do. I am blessed to have them in my life and I know I would not have made it this far without them. They always push me to be the greatest I can be, but are there when I fail to tell me to get back up and try again. 


How My Experience Relates to Our Campaign:

Working on this campaign has made me realize how blessed I am to have this type of support system. Everyone needs a support system to feel heard and to grow. Hand Up for Women is their program participant's support system, and it has been an honor to help them and raise awareness to others. Everyone needs encouragement and support through tough times and that is Hand Up for Women's mission. They help women become the best versions of themselves after what may feel like the hardest times of their lives. 

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