Her Story Isn’t Over
Maya’s next chapter depends on you.
When Maya arrived at Shelter, she carried everything she owned in a single backpack. She had lost her home, her sense of safety, and her childhood overnight.
At just 13 years old, Maya had learned to stay quiet when things got loud. She had become an expert at taking care of herself, making dinner for her little brother, and keeping the peace as best she could. But when home stopped being safe, she needed somewhere to turn.
That’s when she found Shelter Youth & Family Services.
On her first night, she barely spoke. Our staff welcomed her with a warm meal, clean clothes, and most importantly, reassurance that she was safe. With care and understanding, they helped Maya begin to heal from experiences no child should
endure.
Slowly Maya began to gain trust, joining group dinners, opening up in counseling, even laughing a bit during a movie night. For the first time in a long while, she felt seen not as a problem, but as a young person with a story yet to be written.
For too many children like Maya, the first chapters of life are marked by pain and trauma. But with your support, those early pages don’t define the whole story.
Be the author of possibility. Together we can write a brighter tomorrow.
It was after midnight when Jordan arrived at our Emergency Shelter.
He stood quietly by the door, hood up, duffel bag slung over one shoulder, the weight of the world in his eyes. He was only sixteen, but his face carried the exhaustion of someone who had been surviving, not living.
Hours earlier, an argument at home had escalated beyond words. The fear that had become routine suddenly felt unbearable. This time, Jordan didn’t stay. He grabbed what he could and walked out into the cold, uncertain of where he would go next, only that he couldn’t go back.
When Jordan arrived, our staff greeted him with warmth and calm. A meal was waiting. Clean sheets. A safe place to rest.
For the first time in a long time, he didn’t have to watch his back or hold his breath.
In the days that followed, small signs of trust began to appear. He started talking about school, his younger sister, his dream of becoming an auto mechanic. He laughed once at breakfast. Then again later that week. It was faint, but it was hope.
Jordan’s story is still being written.
We don’t yet know where it will lead—if he’ll reunite safely with family, find a stable home, or finally feel the peace every young person deserves. But we know this: because of compassionate people like you, he has a place to start again.
Your support gives youth like Jordan more than shelter—it gives them possibility.
A chance to heal.
A chance to rebuild.
A chance to write the next chapter of their story—one filled with safety, stability, and hope.
This season, you can be part of Jordan’s story. Because while we don’t know his ending, you can help make sure it’s one worth reading.
