Sheila’s Story
“It took me losing everything” An only child, Sheila was raised by a single mom who abused alcohol and suffered a string of broken marriages. “There were a lot of people in and out of my life, and a lot of things happened,” Sheila says, “bad things no child should be exposed to or […]
Kie’Arra’s Story
“I had no sense of belonging.” Alone. On her own. With no one to talk to – much less to guide her – Kie’Arra found herself homeless at age 15, after enduring a traumatic childhood. “When I was 6 or 7, my mom was into drugs pretty heavily,” she recalls. “And my dad just […]
Venus’ Story
“I am beautifully and wonderfully made.” Born to a woman barely more than a child herself, Venus enjoyed a happy, if unconventional, upbringing. The young mother and daughter were “adopted” and cared for by an older couple whom Venus lovingly referred to as her foster grandparents. “It was wonderful growing up with them,” she […]
J.B.’s Story
“Without Him, I Have Nothing.” As a young man, raised by his grandmother in Chicago, J.B. understood the bleak outlook for kids in the inner city where gangs, substance abuse and violent crime were prevalent and often the only means of survival. But J.B. saw another alternative: service to his country. “I left Chicago in […]
