Golden Valley staff showers mom, daughter with home supplies, Christmas gifts

Shoquala Reed, 21, sat in front of the Christmas tree at Golden Valley Health Centers Women’s Clinic as her 1-year-old played with a round gold ornament on her lap. Her face lit up as Golden Valley employees circled around her Wednesday with a cart filled with presents and household supplies.

Reed’s daughter, Cerina Reed-Regalad, reached into a bag and pulled out some pink baby socks and helped her mom open a gift for her soon-to-be baby brother, who’s due next month.

In an effort to spread some kindness and holiday spirit, Golden Valley chooses a family every Christmas for its Adopt A Family drive, where employees come together and donate gifts to a family.

“It’s important to help other people in need,” said Norma Martinez, front office supervisor for Golden Valley. “It makes me happy knowing she is happy.”

Martinez, along with Dolores McClindon, Golden Valley’s health center manager, chose to “adopt” Reed and her family because they know her story and hardships, and all love visiting with Cerina.

“Her story kind of touched all of us,” McClindon said. “She doesn’t have family or a huge support system so we wanted to help them. I think it’s really important to give and show people that human kindness is still out there.”

Since her boyfriend was incarcerated in October, Reed said, it’s been hard to be a single mom, especially since her pregnancy has been high-risk and more difficult than last time. She was grateful for the gifts she received because being a nonworking parent has been a struggle during the holiday season.

Before Reed moved to Merced almost two years ago, she said, she was living in the Bay Area jumping from group homes and foster homes. She was taken into the foster system when she was born because her mother struggled with drug addiction.

Out of her four siblings, Reed says she has met an older sister, whom she talks to sporadically. She also has a sister who was born on Christmas, but she’s never met her, making the holidays especially hard. She’s never met her father.

“It’s been really hard,” Reed said. “I don’t even know what he looks like. I don’t even know his name.”

Reed said all her siblings are scattered around California and other states. She knows one is in Ohio, another in Sacramento. She’d want to meet them one day, but doesn’t know their names.

Being a parent has been a new kind of experience, Reed said. At first, she was scared she wouldn’t be able to be a good parent, but she has been managing and making sure Cerina has everything she needs to grow into a healthy girl.

“I’ve been trying to do everything,” Reed said. “It’s a lot. I’m making sure she’s OK, in a good environment and that she’s healthy.” She said her life has been easier after moving to Merced, because she has control over her life and was able to leave everything she knew behind.

Reed said she ran away from almost every group home she was in because she constantly felt “locked down” and “uncomfortable.”

“Now that I’m out, I feel much better,” Reed said. “It seems to be getting better. I just wanted to be away from everyone.”

Cerina and Reed just moved into a two-bedroom apartment, and Reed said Cerina enjoys having her own room now so she can play with her dolls. Cerina also likes playing on her walker and watching her favorite show, “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse,” while she dances to the songs, Reed said.

“I didn’t want to be in the foster system,” Reed said. “I wanted to be at home with my mom. That’s why I’m trying to be a good parent to my kids.”

Other than the clothes, food and home supplies Reed and Cerina received from Golden Valley staff for Christmas, Reed is looking forward to another late gift. She said her boyfriend is set to be released four days after her due date.

“It feels like a good Christmas present,” she said.

This story was originally published December 21, 2016 at 6:04 PM with the headline "Golden Valley staff showers mom, daughter with home supplies, Christmas gifts."