When you meet Jalisa Settles, her warmth and determination shine through instantly. She speaks with the strength of someone who has overcome challenges and is now building a healthier future for her family with the help of Community of Hope’s WIC program.
For Jalisa, WIC was more than food benefits. It became a turning point. “I love everything about WIC,” she says. “They’re not just giving you food benefits. They’re checking on you, making sure you’re okay, and connecting you to other resources. They want to see you win.”
One of her favorite parts of WIC is the farmers market program, which provides fresh, local produce. She often attends Arcadia’s Mobile Market at our Conway Health and Resource Center, bringing home healthy food for her family while also supporting local farmers. For families across DC, where healthy food access can be uneven, programs like this are more than a benefit — they’re a lifeline. Today, DC WIC serves more than 8,000 households, supporting over 14,000 people. This matters especially east of the river, where only three four full-service grocery stores. This demonstrates how critical the program is for families like Jalisa’s, where access to healthy food can shape long-term health and stability.
Jalisa makes it a goal to make grocery shopping a family affair so her little ones get familiar with fresh veggies and fruits. “I want them to know the importance of eating fresh and cooking nutritious meals,” she says. Many experiences that she didn’t have growing up.
Jalisa’s early life was marked by deep loss and hardship. She was placed in foster care more than once, faced abuse, and endured situations no child should ever have to experience. As a teenager, she became a mother — determined to give her children the love and stability she had longed for herself. Today, she’s a proud mom of six, with her eldest being 18 now.
Through every setback and every step forward, Jalisa kept going, for her children and for herself. Looking back, she sees WIC as part of the foundation that kept her standing during her hardest seasons.
“I’ve been through a lot,” Jalisa says. “But one thing I’ve learned is that you don’t have to go through it alone. The right people and the right programs can change everything.”
“Community of Hope really lives up to its name,” she says. “They’re about more than services. They’re about seeing you as a whole person.”
