To the Women Who Make Put Me In! Possible
A letter for Mother's Day from Put Me In!
There’s a card I’ve kept in my sock drawer since the fall of my freshman year at Yale.
My mom slipped it into my things before I left home. I didn’t find it until I was unpacking in my small dorm room, anxious about the future, trying to figure out if I belonged.
In the card, she told me how proud she was. She reminded me to stay grounded, to keep being the same person I’d always been. She said my hard work had prepared me for that moment.
But here’s the truth: when I pull that card out now, and I still do from time to time, it’s not just a reminder that my hard work paid off. It’s a reminder of hers.
Every sacrifice she made. Every time she put her dreams aside so mine could grow. Every late-night practice. Every early-morning drive. Every quiet moment of encouragement when things felt heavy. That card represents all of it.
Her strength carried me to where I am today.
And as special as my mother is, she’s not alone.
Across the country, and especially in our Put Me In! family, there are women doing the same, often on their own.
Mothers who are stretching every dollar. Who are holding the emotional weight of the entire household. Who are navigating grief, instability, and stigma. But through it all, they are still showing up to help their kids thrive.
At Put Me In!, we work with these women every day.
They are the ones who apply for grants, follow up on reimbursements, schedule carpools, and advocate fiercely for their children’s right to just be kids.
They’re not just caregivers. They are champions. Leaders. Protectors.
And we are honored to play even a small role in their journey.
When a child puts on a uniform for the first time.
When they get back in the car grinning from practice.
When they build confidence they didn’t know they had.
That joy is rooted in a mother’s resolve.
It’s built on her belief that her child deserves more, even when the world says otherwise.
This Mother's Day, we honor them.
We honor the moms who make it happen even when it feels impossible.
We honor the strength it takes to raise a child with a loved one behind bars.
We honor the beauty of daily sacrifice and unwavering love.
To every mother in our program:
You are seen. You are respected. You are essential to this work.
To our community of supporters:
Thank you for standing with us, and with them.
If the strength of these mothers moves you, consider honoring them this Mother's Day with a gift to Put Me In!
Your support helps ensure their children have the chance to play, grow, and thrive—on and off the field.