The Quiet Work That Changes Everything

This one hits a little closer to home for me this year, because I can finally say that I am a social worker. I graduated last year, and honestly, it still feels a little surreal sometimes.

But if I’m being real, there was a time in my life when I didn’t really know what social workers did and I was actually a little wary of them.

That changed during one of the hardest seasons of my life.

I was going through a divorce, raising two kids as a single mom, and just trying to get through each day. I was stretched thin in every way.

Emotionally, financially, all of it. There were days I genuinely didn’t know how I was going to make it work.

I had to learn how to navigate social services, which felt overwhelming and honestly intimidating at first. But in the middle of all that, there were social workers who showed up for me. One helped me get insurance for my kids and connected me to SNAP. That wasn’t just paperwork, it was groceries on the table and a little bit of breathing room when I needed it most.

At the local food pantry, there were social workers there, too. They made something that could have felt uncomfortable feel normal. They were kind. They didn’t make me feel judged.

They just helped.

And then years later, during another really scary moment when my son had a medical emergency as an infant, a social worker came and sat with us. They brought him toys and just stayed for a bit. They helped calm the room, and honestly, they helped calm me, too.

It wasn’t anything big or dramatic. But it meant everything.

I don’t remember their names, but I remember how they made me feel.

Seen. Supported. Less alone.

Looking back, those moments mattered more than I realized at the time. They stuck with me, and they’re a big part of why I chose this path.

Jessica Richardson with husband Davin

Now as a social worker myself, I think about that a lot, how powerful it is to just show up for someone in a hard moment.

I’m so thankful for the social workers who showed up for me when I needed it most. And now, I just hope I can be that for someone else.

Happy Social Worker Appreciation Month to the ones doing this work every day, often quietly and without recognition.

What you do really matters.

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Jessica Richardson is the Resource Coordinator at ECHO Family Care Partners. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Social Work degree from Liberty University and is pursing a Master of Social Work degree from there as well.