JBY

Life Skills For Young Adults has helped me become the man I am today.  Being in a place where I am safe, secure, and loved over the past years was truly a gift.  I can honestly say that without the help of the organization, I would not be able to take care of myself today.  I hope one day to accomplish big things and learning the life skills I have is a fundamental part of being able to do something with my life.  LSFYA has taught me how to do what some might think are simple things like cooking and to grocery shop on a budget.  I have also learned how to properly search for a job, how to find an apartment, and to even do my taxes.  I don’t think that i would have been a failure, but thanks to LSFYA I am much more likely to succeed.

IB

     Hello, I am sharing my story to explain how Life Skills For Young Adults helped, supported, and loved me when I needed it most.

     I entered foster care when I was fifteen years old.  I felt alone, disconnected, and uncertain about my future.  I moved between foster homes and struggled to trust people.  I felt like I truly did not belong anywhere.  

     When I was seventeen, I was placed in a home that I hoped would become permanent.  But after a year and a half, I was once again told that I had to leave.  Once again, I felt abandoned and alone.

     That was when Life Skills For Young Adults came into my life.

     At first, I pushed away because I was afraid of getting hurt again.  But, they stayed calm, patient, and reassuring.  For the first time in a long time, I felt safe.  Their support changed my life.  They helped me learn how to trust, communicate, and become part of a family.  Most importantly, they helped me believe that I have a future. 

  JW

     In the beginning, being a part of Life Skills For Young Adults was an adjustment.  I had to truly live my life and make decisions for myself and my future.  Before LSFYA, the future was something I never really thought about.  As a ward of the state, life often felt like I was just surviving or just existing, not truly living.  I didn’t see myself as someone who had a future to look forward to.

     Through LSFYA, I was given the freedom to make my own decisions and to speak for myself with the full support and guidance of the people around me.  That support has been life changing.  I’ve learned that I can be safe, trust others, and communicate openly with the people around me.  The self confidence and the self esteem that I have gained, allows me to see a future that I never thought was possible.