In California, approximately 7% of the total homeless population are unaccompanied young adults (under 25), according to the California Senate Housing Committee. It was a number I once thought had nothing to do with me, but in 2023, I became part of it. Being at my lowest part of my life, the darkest part of my life, ready to demolish a house to get rid of termites. In a last-ditch effort for help, I went to the Hub and there I was able to get connected to S.T.A.R Programs.
S.T.A.R didn't just help me with the one thing I needed the most at the time, housing. They continued to support me with the things that I later realized were silently paralyzing me, weighing me down or just buried away. I was suffering from severe insomnia, mental illness, depression, and lack of confidence due to years of poor outcomes from the decisions I made. I had stopped trusting myself. They got me to see a therapist, started a healthy daily routine, and supported me to gain certifications I needed for a career field I was struggling to enter.
Today I go to bed with ease and the motivation to tackle on tomorrow.
S.T.A.R has a mission that is "committed to providing safe and inclusive residential programs with guidance and support for adolescents and young adults to build and practice their independent living skills." If that mission aligns with yours I request earnestly to support the program and cause that not only helps youths but changes their lives to try to have each one reach their full potential. I know, because I’m one of them.
