What's New at YFS

Hidden Potential

A 15 year-old girl entered our shelter after being picked up off the streets by the Department of Human Services. She was carrying on the tradition of her mother as a prostitute. She used her young body to not only earn money for her survival, but also for the companionship of older men whom she fantasized would care for her and give her the “love and attention” she starved for as a child. Being born addicted to drugs, the only life this child knew was filled with drug abuse, neglect, and mistreatment. As a young child, her biological father broke her arm. Later, her hand was broken. She fell on a heroin needle and cut her arm. Her belief system was that this was the best she would ever have. Through all this, she managed to get herself to school. After being placed in DHS custody, she ran away from several foster homes, was hospitalized a dozen times, and she failed one adoption attempt.

Following her stay in the shelter, she was admitted to our Therapeutic Foster Care program, where she stayed for over a year. We didn’t see a child who was damaged and beyond repair, but instead, a child who had great potential to be successful. We saw through all the anger and resentment to a child who was intelligent and capable of achieving a positive life. This child continued to run away when things got tough, but we would look for her, find her, and bring her back home. We refused to give up on her. This child is now a high school senior. She will graduate with an excellent grade point average. She laughs now and we laugh with her about how mean she was to all of us as we tried to help her. She cries when she thinks about how we refused to let her go and how, together, we were able to uncover that beautiful potential hidden inside her. This child will be successful. She will be attending college upon graduation and looks forward to one day owning her own business. (By the way, one of her goals is to help young girls get off the streets and live positive lives.)

*Names have been changed to protect confidentiality and privacy.