Kelly grew up in the foster care system, but when she turned 18, her foster parents forced her to leave their home after they stopped receiving financial support for her care.
Kelly has been seeking services at Rare Breed for about a year and a half. Over this time, she has built a close relationship with case management staff to whom she credits her newfound confidence and her ability to build relationships with other youth at the center.
She admits that living on the streets was a lonely time and that she often lived in fear. When she made a connection with someone at Safe to Sleep they helped her navigate this new life as well as helping her to trust others again. Later, she met a peer who connected her to Rare Breed. She says:
“I needed a place where I actually belonged and feel like I’m welcomed…and I feel like I’ve found that here.”
In addition to allowing her a space to make friends and find support through community, Rare Breed Youth Services has helped connect her with local food banks and given her access to clothing. Her Case Manager encourages her to try on clothes provided by donation which has helped build her confidence. She loves art and graphic design which Rare Breed allows her access to tools to participate in those hobbies. She states that the classes “are extremely beneficial and you can get a lot out of it.”
Since Kelly left her home at 18, she was not able to finish her senior year of High School. She has since gone back to school and graduated in May of this year. She now has an apartment of her own. This apartment has allowed Kelly the stability that she has craved since leaving her home. Looking to the future, Kelly wishes to have a family of her own with land, a garden, and to begin horse riding again.
When asked what she would share with someone going through similar experiences as she did, she stated that it is important to keep your head up. Life can be tough but it’s not an excuse to give up. Kelly has paved her own path toward a new life thanks to the support and relationships found at Rare Breed.
The name in this story has been changed out of compassion for the participant.
