Hear Their Stories
Meet Lis
Meet Kyle
“When I came back to my mom’s house, she had already packed all my belongings and placed them on the front porch.”
Meet Tieyenna
“In the past ten years I have grown mentally from the emotionally unavailable and detached adolescent that I was into a woman with purpose, hope, and many more dreams.”
Meet Alesia
“I turned to my sister and I said, ‘I’m going to run…’ I eyed a staircase and took off running, moving quickly down the stairs and out of the airport exit with only $20 in my pocket.”
Meet Randall
“I didn’t buy into the program immediately. Why would I trust people I didn’t know when everyone who was supposed to be there and take care of me left?”
Meet Tatiyana
“‘I’m sorry I have to do this,’ she began. I already knew what she was about to say. She looked me in my eyes: ’I can’t afford for you to stay here any longer.’ I could see that it broke her heart to kick me out, but I understood that she had no choice.”
Meet Martha
“I shove essentials, like my homework, sheet music, and phone, into my book bag, deciding I have endured the abuse too long. When I glimpse my father’s scrubs reappear…I run.”
Meet Jarian
“They say it takes a village to raise a child. Well it took a village-and-a-half to raise me.”
Meet Olivia
“While I am living on the street, I figure everything I endure is at least my choice. I have more autonomy. At home, I am being traumatized with no control.”
Meet Jadejha
“In 5th grade, I envy other kids’ chores…born into my mother’s gang life, I’m selling drugs so we can eat.”
Meet Aja
“I continue to be trapped by my father’s choices – constantly changing houses, constantly being evicted, broken promises, bad decisions.”
Meet Hillary
“My older sister, who was only in 7th grade, was our caretaker. We would wake ourselves and walk a mile to school, or some days we would just not go.”
Meet Shaq
“I witnessed everything from robberies to shootouts. I even engaged in some of these activities myself.”
Together, we can make a difference in their lives.
Ready to make a difference? Take action today and get involved with Starting Right Now, an organization dedicated to ending homelessness one child at a time. Together, we can create lasting change in the lives of our youth. Sign up for the latest news, stories and how we’re ending homelessness one child at a time.
