Kris is a single mom - a woman with a mission.

"You have to make plans for the future," she says, sipping a coffee in a midtown diner, "like going back to school to get a better job."

Kris has one daughter. Raising a child on her own, she admits, wasn't easy: "There I was, 20 years old, with a baby, an ex-husband, and no real job skills. It wasn't the ideal situation, I guess, but I was never one to dwell on the past. My little girl was healthy and happy and I was determined to make a good life for us.

It took a while, but by going to school part-time and working my way up, I reached my goal. One of them, anyway!"

Kris says that she had strong motivation to succeed. "My little girl is the most important person in the world to me. We're a team and I wanted her to have the very best I could manage."

What about inspiration? "Well, there are a lot of famous women that are great role models, but I didn't really have to look that far. My Mom is a very strong woman with lots of determination. And no matter how busy she is, she's always been there for me when I needed her. She's a wonderful mom."

Like most parents, Kris also believes in security. "As young as I was, I was still practical enough to be concerned about my daughter's future. I mean, as a single parent, what would happen to her if something happened to me? Well, SBLI USA made it easy for me. For just a few dollars a month, I got a Term Life policy that helped me secure my child's future."

"That meant one less thing to worry about," she says, smiling, "so I could concentrate on making our lives better."