Some work finds you. For Martha Serio, that’s exactly what happened.
A former Spanish and French teacher, Martha made a career shift into social work that she describes simply as a calling. Today she serves as a case manager at YoungMoms, an organization in the Kennett Square area of Pennsylvania that supports pregnant and parenting teen girls, most of them from Guatemala and Mexico. In a recent episode of A Place in the Conversation, Martha joined Nancy and Nick to talk about what that work actually looks like, and why it matters so much right now.
YoungMoms works with around 52 to 53 girls at any given time. Each case manager carries a caseload of about 15 or 16 girls, and the relationships that form go well beyond logistics. Martha describes talking with the girls regularly, learning what they’re going through emotionally, helping them process trauma they carried with them on their journey to the United States, and sometimes connecting them with mental health services when the weight of that experience becomes too much to carry alone.
“It almost brings me to tears,” Martha said during the conversation. “This is where I belong. This is what I was meant to be doing.”
The practical support is extensive. YoungMoms connects girls with prenatal and health services, helps them apply for housing assistance, links them to food banks and clothing resources like Share the Love Boutique, and supports those who want to earn their GEDs, including one young woman who recently achieved exactly that. Monthly workshops cover topics across eight dimensions of wellness: emotional, educational, environmental, parental, spiritual, relational, financial, and occupational. A recent workshop brought in Citizens Bank to talk about the importance of saving and opening a bank account. Another featured local firefighters teaching CPR, giving girls hands-on practice with skills that could one day save their baby’s life.
Transportation is one of the most consistent and meaningful forms of support volunteers provide. Many of the girls are too young to drive. When one young mother’s premature baby had to stay in the hospital, volunteers drove her there every single day.
Martha was clear about what makes the organization work: its people. The volunteers. The case managers. Director Mary Hughes. Supervisor Delfina Castro. And the donors who show up consistently, even in difficult economic times. Young Moms does not rely on federal funding, which offers some stability. But the girls they serve are still feeling the effects of changes to programs like SNAP, and the organization is working through how to fill those gaps.
If you want to get involved, there are real ways to help right now. Donate diapers, baby clothes, or money. Volunteer your time. Consider becoming a mentor and building an ongoing relationship with a young woman who needs a steady, caring presence. You can reach out directly through the YoungMoms website at youngmomscommunity.com or via email at martha.serio@youngmomscommunity.com.
To hear the full conversation with Martha, listen to the episode on our podcast at the link below.
Supporting Young Moms: Connection, Resources, and Hope for Immigrant Teen Mother
In this episode, Martha Serio, case manager at YoungMoms, shares how her work with pregnant and parenting teen girls has reshaped the way she understands community support, resilience, and holistic care. Drawing from her transition into social work and her daily experience walking alongside young immigrant mothers, Martha reflects on how consistent guidance, education, and compassion can open meaningful opportunities for girls navigating early motherhood.