YOUTH STORIES

Have you ever tried to learn something completely new—without support, resources, or any prior knowledge? It’s frustrating. Confusing. Sometimes, it feels impossible. Now imagine trying to learn how to live—how to be an adult—under those same conditions. There’s a saying: “It takes a village to raise a child.” But what happens when a young person has no village? Or worse, when their village has been fractured by instability, trauma, or poor role models? According to Merriam-Webster, an adult is “fully developed and mature.” But what does that really mean? What traits make someone fully developed and mature? Emotional intelligence? Financial literacy? Healthy relationships? Self-discipline? A sense of purpose? Now ask yourself: how does someone learn these qualities if no one is there to model them? To teach them? To offer guidance when they stumble? This is the challenge faced by countless youth aging out of the foster care system. At 18—or sometimes 21—they are legally adults. But maturity doesn’t magically happen with age. These young people are often expected to succeed in a world they’ve barely been prepared to navigate. A Youth and Young Adult Hub is more than just a building. It’s a space for healing, learning, and growing. It’s a place where young people can access stable housing, life skills training, mental health support, mentorship, and educational or career guidance. It’s a chance to build the village they never had. And when we support them, we benefit too. A community that invests in its most vulnerable youth reduces homelessness, increases employment and education rates, and fosters a generation of resilient, contributing adults. It builds stronger neighborhoods, healthier families, and a more compassionate society. Because nobody becomes “fully developed and mature” on their own. Not really

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