Carla moved into New Beginnings’ housing with her mom and her brother after they fled an abusive relationship. Each move her family made involved changing schools, and she struggled to make new friends. Carla also started to lose confidence in herself. She told our Youth and Family Advocate, “The girls don’t like to play with me, and they make fun of my hair.”
During her stay at New Beginnings, Carla got to participate in several youth programs like field trips, and she spent some time with our volunteers on reading, making art projects, playing board games, sharing about her daily school activities, and learning to build safe and healthy relationships with staff and other residents. She and her brother have made new friends, celebrated or attended birthdays, and shared lots of positive experiences with their new community.
Carla also struggled with reading—it made her very anxious. Early on in her time at New Beginnings, she mentioned wanting to be an advocate one day when she grows up, but then said she didn’t think she would ever be able to do that because she couldn’t read well. But thanks to your support, Carla has grown in her reading skills, asking for more literacy resources and spending time with our volunteer librarian.
Most importantly, Carla has started opening up to her mom, teacher and our advocates, and she has learned how to speak up for herself.
Carla now wants to become an artist or a teacher when she grows up.
