The Power of Determination
Homeless and scared, “Felicia”, an 18-year old young woman, walked through our doors in 2021. She and her family came back to America in 2018; the clash of cultures and her family member's mental illnesses left her home life in shambles. Home was no longer a safe place, and moving out was less of a gesture of independence and more about self-preservation.
She found us online and took an Uber to our offices. We listened as she shared her painful story. We helped her make a plan. She was provided emergency shelter (a hotel stay) as we assisted her in navigating the coordinated entry system. After a few weeks she got a shelter bed; she would come to Mobile Hope during the day. As often happens, her family called and pleaded with her to return home. She couldn't bring herself to say no. She would try again.
It started out fine—the honeymoon period lasted two weeks. Then it all blew up, worse than before. This time, she was slapped. She returned to Mobile Hope, where she was welcomed, free from judgement. She started the process again—hotel room, then a shelter bed…however this time she had a renewed sense of independence.
And this time, she didn't turn back!
She rented a room. We paid her first month's rent and provided food and other basic needs until she got her footing. She got a job and rode one of our donated bikes to work everyday. She joined our cooking class and worked with a mentor. She worked with our financial literacy partner, Apple Federal Credit Union, to learn how to budget and establish credit. She did her laundry at Mobile Hope–using her waiting time to connect with her peers.
Imagine if this young lady had spent nights on the streets, vulnerable and alone. Tragically, many young people do, and are coerced into sex trafficking rings, gangs, drugs and other dangerous activities.
For more than a year, she has been self-sufficient. She is still a part of the Mobile Hope community, riding her bike or riding the bus to our Leesburg campus on her days off. She is interested in joining our trade school. Her future is bright!
From homeless to self-sufficient…we stand with this young woman!
Your generous donations and kind words powered her journey to self-sufficiency. By making a one-time or recurring gift to our homeless youth programs, you are ensuring young people like Felicia have the opportunity for a promising future.