Watch the video “Cynthia’s Story” here.

Cynthia Bobo is a leader in social services, an advocate, a mother, and a grandmother. With wisdom that comes from perseverance and challenges overcome, a zest for life that emerges from her endless gratitude, and whole-hearted compassion for each person she meets, Cynthia elevates the spirits of everyone around her, creating an ever-expanding view of what is possible.

Meet Cynthia: Program Manager at PPL

Cynthia is a Program Manager for Minnesota Families Investment Program (MFIP) at Project for Pride in Living — a Bridging agency partner.

Cynthia has a longtime career as an advocate and leader in social services, helping families maintain stable housing and viable employment. During the last 25 years, she has worked at several Twin Cities nonprofits including: Project for Pride in Living; St. Stephen’s (now Agate) as a job counselor for MFIP and director of employment; Catholic Charities in prenatal case management; People Serving People as an intake coordinator, and Chrysalis as a childcare provider for children with special needs.

As the employment services program manager at PPL for the past nine years, she leads a team of five career counselors. Together, they meet participants where they are at, assist people as they transition to stability in furnished homes, and walk alongside as they achieve fulfilling careers, financial stability, and opportunities for home ownership.

In addition to team leadership and supervision, Cynthia works with about 15 people on her caseload at any given time.

“I want to serve people. I build relationships people with people, many people who think they should be thrown away. They feel they can’t be helped. I tell people, ‘the power is from you. You have your answers, but you may need someone to help you see that, to help you see the light at the end of the tunnel.’ And then they’ve got it from there. They may stumble and fall, but they’ll get up again. They find the direction they want to go in, and great things happen for them.”

A partner agency referral to Bridging is an essential steppingstone for many individuals and families as they set their new direction and achieve housing stability. Cynthia is the “point person” for Bridging referrals from the employment services program at PPL.

“I feel like Bridging is a shining star,” she says. “If we didn’t have Bridging, where would we go? I do not know of another resource that does what Bridging does—furnishes a whole home. It fills such a great need for families. Customer service, the process, the shopping, walking in, to the end. It is A-1 service. We appreciate it at PPL. The participants appreciate it. They tell us. I can hear them smiling and crying over the phone.”

A Personal Connection to Bridging

Cynthia has a professional and personal connection with Bridging that gives her a unique perspective on Bridging’s services.

”I have five beautiful children. All grown now,” she says. “Years ago, I received furniture at Bridging for my new home. Bridging was a blessing to me and my family.”

Nearly 30 years ago, Cynthia and her children fleed from an unsafe family and community environment and moved to Minnesota, an unknown place that offered peace of mind and a new beginning.

“I knew if I left and came to Minnesota, I wouldn’t have to worry because I wasn’t telling anyone where I’m going,” she says. “I was running from my kids’ father. Every time I tried to leave, he found me. Where we lived there was extreme poverty. It was dangerous. I couldn’t stay. I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t want my kids to be in this,” she says.

“How I did it was designed by God. I didn’t know I had God, until I stepped out on faith and came to Minnesota.”

Cynthia secured a voucher from the county, and stayed in a shelter with her children. She contemplated what she would do next. She was proactive, but the complex web of social service programs was daunting to navigate.

“When I got here, I’ll tell you the honest to God truth, I didn’t know how I was going to do this. I was fortunate to get into a rapid exit housing program. I talked to a caseworker from St. Stephen’s. She knew of a three-bedroom. She took me there.

“Once the services started, it didn’t stop. I got housing first, then employment. A found a job, then a second job, then an on-call job. I couldn’t make enough on one or even two jobs. The pay was so low. I didn’t have a choice. I did it for my children.”

“We moved into our new place. We had no furniture. We were sleeping on the floor. The caseworker at St. Stephen’s got us a referral to Bridging.”

Cynthia remembers shopping at Bridging and picking out a foundational household set-up of furniture: beds, sheets, a couch, end tables, plates and silverware, everything they needed.

“The bed literally lifted me off the floor, it elevated me. We were elevated off the floor and raised as human beings. It elevated my mental, spiritual, and physical self. When you are working two-and-a-half jobs it’s hard to sleep on the floor.

“We had beds with covers, a dining table to eat dinner. They put the human touch on things, and they didn’t judge people. … I couldn’t afford to take care of my kids with one job. I couldn’t afford furniture. I cried and cried, I was thanking the world, and God above.”

Cynthia could see her children’s spirits lifting.

“My kids were happy. Every moment we did things together, we played games, arts, a birthday party and a cake, we would dance and sing, have meals together, sit around the table, talk about how there day was. There were no limits on the conversation we would have. I had teenagers, preteens, and littles, and I was determined my kids would get along because I did not have this family experience when I grew up.”

Three years after moving to Minnesota, Cynthia bought her first home for her family. She loaded up her furniture from Bridging and took into their new house. She’s lived in the same home for 27 years.

Abounding Love for Her Growing Family

To this day, Cynthia’s family is her world. She is grateful about the love and joy she shares with her five grown children, her 11 grandchildren, and extended family. She is proud of each of her children, to see them flourish, and see the people they have become.

The family’s capacity for love knows no limits. In the past year, Cynthia and her two oldest daughters have welcomed a family of five foster children, “their babies” ages 10 months to nine years old, into their three homes.

“For me and my family to take on a family of five children, shows me that I did something right. I put out good out in the world for my family. They are sharing their love and everything with these children. To see my children paying it forward tells me a whole lot about them — and the struggles I worked through. These babies we have, they need us. And we answered, all at once.”

Elevating the Community, One Person at a Time

If you are looking for Cynthia, you can find her at home, at PPL, or in the community, elevating people’s spirits as they discover their unique path forward, and connecting them to resources. It’s who she is.

“It’s important for me to work in social services, because I am giving back. There was a time when I was going through my trials and tribulations, I received very little help, but once the services started, they didn’t stop. I got housing first, then employment, then Bridging. And that’s what I cut my teeth into and how I approach what I do.”

Woven into Cynthia’s work at PPL and her partnership with Bridging is a shared value of dignity that touches the lives of people she serves.

“For me, the most important part is that Bridging gives families dignity — by providing the services they do, furniture, dishes, and beds. They can furnish their homes for free because PPL covers the referral fee, the cost of beds, and the moving fee. … And they get to pick out what they like from the selection. This is huge. Bridging walks them through, talks with them, and finds out what their greatest needs are. That gives families dignity and pride. It truly lifts them up from where they are.”

A Final Message from Cynthia

“I’m truly blessed. You look at the trauma that people go through in the world. … People go through so much. Somehow we all can do a part to help people find the strength and resources to get to the life they want to live.”

“I’m blessed, and I cannot complain. I have nothing left to say. When someone asks, ‘How are you? That’s what I’ll say. It will be what I say until the day I leave this earth.”