Starr and Daniel’s Story

Do you ever get used to hearing stories of young people facing abuse in their homes, of being displaced, of running away, and of facing homelessness? I certainly don’t, and I hear these stories every day at The Relatives.

50% of the young people The Relatives serves have had an interaction with child welfare services. I see youth who’ve fled a dangerous, unstable homelife and young adults whose unaddressed trauma impacts their efforts to find consistent employment and stable housing.

There are two young people I’ve met, Starr and Daniel, who each experienced a traumatic childhood. Daniel found himself living on the streets at the age of 11 and struggling to feed himself and his sister due to extreme parental neglect. Starr, too, struggled with homelessness after running away from an abusive mother at the age of 16.

Starr and Daniel wanted to break the cycle of abuse, instability, and despair. But they couldn’t do it alone. They needed help. They needed Relatives, like you.

You help us step-in as no one else can, wrapping our arms around vulnerable young people in crisis and enabling them to achieve independence through comprehensive services tailored to their individualized needs.

Starr found empowerment at The Relatives On Ramp Resource Center where she was able to make a fresh start. At The Relatives, Starr earned her driver’s license, found a job, and an apartment.

Daniel found relief at our Youth Crisis Center where he had food to eat, a safe place to sleep, and was able to feel like a kid again. A few years later, Daniel came to On Ramp where he obtained his GED, driver’s license, as well as stable housing.

Both Starr and Daniel have said The Relatives showed them there are people in this world who will genuinely care about you.

This is the kind of transformational change you help us make in the lives of young people experiencing crisis. This is why The Relatives needs you.

Every day children and youth facing situations most of us couldn’t even imagine are finding the relief, acceptance, and empowerment they so desperately need at The Relatives.

But there are so many more who need your help. There are over 4,000 children enrolled in CMS who are experiencing housing insecurity and in Mecklenburg County, alone, there are almost 50,000 young people who are disconnected – lacking education, employment, and natural support systems.

I am grateful you are a part of The Relatives family and hope you will consider making a gift. Other young people, like Starr and Daniel, need our love and our guidance.

Together we can wrap our arms around the most vulnerable members of our community and make transformational change, one life at a time.

Sincerely,

Trish Hobson
Executive Director