By Sylvia Powers
Correspondent
texas Metro New
For MaCara Santiago, the journey from foster care and public housing to homeownership, entrepreneurship, and financial independence is more than just a personal victory — it is a testament to perseverance, faith, and a desire to break the cycle of financial dependence that plagued generations of her family.
“When I reflect on my childhood, I could never have imagined the life I’m living now,” Santiago said. “My mother grew up in public housing. Her mother grew up in public housing. But I was determined to break that cycle. I didn’t want my children to experience the same struggles I faced. It had to stop with me.”
Raised by a young single mother with limited parenting skills, Santiago entered the foster care system at an early age. Life continued to throw challenges her way as she became a teen mom, leaving foster care only to step into the struggles of single motherhood herself.
“I became a teen mom to my daughter and went straight from foster care into parenthood,” she recalled. “ I found myself living in government housing, with very little knowledge about parenting, finances, or even basic life skills.”
According to a report from Buckner Today, 48 percent of Dallas single mothers live in poverty, which hampers their ability to take care of their children.
But Santiago’s story took a transformational turn when she connected with Ascend Dallas, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering women with the tools to achieve financial self-sufficiency. Through Ascend’s Economic Advancement Program, she was introduced to the fundamentals of financial literacy — a concept she once believed was out of reach.
“I didn’t think I could save,” Santiago admitted. “I thought I didn’t make enough. But through the program, I learned how to budget, pay off debt, and identify my ‘money leaks.’ It was truly life-changing.”
Her participation in Ascend’s savings match program became another major turning point. With the support of Ascend, Santiago was able to save for homeownership, receiving matching funds that helped her purchase her first home in 2018 — breaking a three-generation cycle of reliance on public housing.
Owning her own home provided much-needed stability for her children and sparked a newfound sense of empowerment.
Motivated by her success, Santiago enrolled in Ascend’s entrepreneurship program, where she gained skills in business planning, accounting, and entrepreneurship. She went on to earn her degree in accounting and launched her own boutique accounting firm, Around the World Ledger.
