Hi, I’m Marcella Chambers, Executive Director of Mathern-SIL. I’ve done a lot of charity work and great community projects over time but through it all I’ve had one main goal and that was to make a positive impact in the community in which I live and work. When I was eleven years old, I lost my mother, and my life began to spiral downward. I was sent to live with relatives I didn't know, and I even spent some time at a children's homeless shelter while waiting for relatives who were pondering if they were going to take me in. I understand the pain and misery that young adults go through when they have no sense of security in their lives and their entire existence can fit into a black trash bag that they carry from place to place. I soon became a statistic, pregnant and dropping out of high school at the age of 18, due to a lack of guidance and stability from caring adults. It took me two years to discover that unless I stepped up and made a conscious effort, life would not become any easier. I enrolled in educational programs that helped me earn my GED, and I looked for paid internships in the fields that I wanted to work in. I now hold four degrees ranging from an associate's to a master's degree, and I am now pursuing my law degree at Texas A&M University. It was a difficult journey, but one that was required in order for my child and me to have a better life. Knowing the difficulty, I had faced daily, I felt the need to establish a transitional program to assist young adults 18-21 years old who are now in the extended foster care system. Because of this pay it forward mentality, I've completed my work and am now ready to assist other young people in making their move into adulthood.

 

I also gave careful consideration regarding the logo for Mathern SIL. I wanted something that would symbolize the courage and strength needed to make the changes in life that would propel youth into the future that they needed and deserved. This is why I choose the Phoenix for our representation. The Phoenix is a magical bird that lives long, dies into flames, and is born again. The phoenix’s spectacular ability to start a new life is one that we at Mathern SIL cherish and inspire toward. “Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising every time we fall.” – Confucius

 

We at Mathern-SIL have worked to establish the Colston Consulting, Training, and Educational Services (CCTES), an organization that works with local and state clients using research-based strategies and techniques to benefit those who have been forgotten by the social welfare system. CCTES is dedicated to using the latest research and incorporating innovative teaching methods to provide services for individuals to improve their personal and professional growth. Participants in the program will learn the best practices to build a life, education, and job skills. CCTES is committed to performance-based evaluations to measure progress. The program will empower young adults while providing a safe environment for their continued educational pursuits.

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ABOUT MATHERN-SIL 

Mathern-SIL is a supervised independent living home for young adults that are aged 18-21 years old. We are committed to assisting those aging out of the DFPS system to gain independence in a safe and structured environment. Mathern-SIL consists of townhomes and houses that will house six to eight adults in each unit. The homes will have spacing available for therapy appointments, sessions with case managers, leisure time, resume building, and job searching. Mathern-SIL is classified as a shared home setting, where a number of people living cooperatively as an unrelated family in a large house with an individual or a shared bedroom with a limited number of persons to a bedroom. 

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OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM

Marcella Chambers, Executive Director – mchambers@mathernsil.com 

 

Genettra Flanagan, Program Director – gflanagan@mathernsil.com 

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Genettra Flanagan/Janice Bradley - Case Managers