Single mom loses job, but keeps the faith (VIDEO)

Single mom loses job, but keeps the faith (VIDEO)

_Brooklyn, New York_ -- Sharon Cooper has a new mindset when it comes to shopping: if it isn't food, it isn't needed. "I love shopping, but all of that has to be cut right down," Cooper said. Cooper, a single mother of two, lost her job at a daycare center in August. She had worked there for three years. Now, the only job she can find is cleaning homes occasionally. "I don't know how, but if I get money, I'll try to save the bus fare from that or the laundry from that," said Cooper, who was born in Jamaica, but now resides in Brooklyn. "I just hold onto it until another house needs cleaning or maybe something else will come up." The unemployment rate among African-Americans is 15.7 percent, which is higher than the national average of 10.2 percent. Cooper collects food stamps, which help put food on the table. And she frequents a local "food pantry":http://www.bedstuyagainsthunger.org/, which she said has been a "blessing" to her and her family. "People are [at the pantry] just like me," Cooper said. "Sometimes, there are clothes available too so everything helps." Cooper's two kids are in high school. Her daughter Kiyana has been pitching in more around the house since Cooper lost her job. "Just anything she needs," said Kiyana, a sophomore in high school. "I do the laundry, clean, sometimes cook." As hard as it is, Cooper still remains positive that her situation will turn around. She said her job loss has shown her that other people are going through similar struggles, and if she can help someone, she will. "Some people are just so angry about this economy but not me," Cooper said. "I know that one day things must get better and it will get better." **Follow theGrio's "Todd Johnson":http://www.thegrio.com/author/todd-johnson on Twitter at** "@rantoddj":http://www.twitter.com/rantoddj