Starting Right Now Inc

7:00, like clockwork, crack-heads and prostitutes appear with bloodshot eyes; some snort cocaine in the parking lot as I sneak a peek out my motel window. I am afraid to step outside. The room is small, infested with roaches, and reeks of mildew. I feel trapped. My life unraveled the day we were evicted. With nowhere to go, my sisters and I packed and headed to a motel. My mom left without saying a word to us, not even goodbye. We were 3 young, teenage girls living alone in a single motel room. My sisters worked tirelessly, I was always alone. Every night, I laid on the futon, as unhappy thoughts ran through my head.  

 One day, my sister confessed our situation to the school social worker, and she recommended us to Starting Right, Now (SRN), a program that helps homeless youth. They would provide us a stable home and food and help us with academic support, so we could attend college. SRN gave me the opportunity to participate in leadership classes, emotional intelligence training, and set me up for a successful future. My sisters and I are the first in our family to graduate high school and enter college.       

 Before I joined SRN, I never thought about going to college. I thought I was destined to be like the rest of my family and end up in jail, on the streets, or dead. I pulled my GPA up to a 3.0 and am attending Saint Leo University this year. They have changed my life for the better and taught me how to trust again. The staff at SRN encouraged me to reach for the stars and dream big.  In the future, I want to help society by sharing my story and encouraging others to purse their dreams.  I want to show others that no matter where you come from or what your situation is, you can achieve anything you set your mind to.”

 Testimonial of a SRN student attending St. Leo’s College

The above testimonial comes directly from an SRN participant, who was fortunate to be given a home and chance to reconfigure her life with our program. Starting Right, Now (SRN) engages a comprehensive, continuum-of-care approach to end the generational cycle of homelessness and poverty in unaccompanied youth. This holistic program combines a range of human and health services to eradicate youth homelessness and its associated traumas. For each student, SRN provides consistent, one-on-one mentoring, encourages future and long-term perspectives, and teaches enduring skills for self-sufficiency. In addition to housing, food and other basic needs, students access a wealth of resources, attend after-school classes, and encounter effective role models, all of which equip them to manage new environments and meet novel academic and social demands.