When Kelaija joined our youth empowerment program as a high school freshman, she was distant and depressed with abysmal school attendance and failing grades.

As she grew to trust our staff, including the Resident Services Manager Ashlei, she shared that several family members struggled with addiction and that she was missing school to protect her mother from a violent relationship. Mercy Housing helped Kelaija and her mother obtain a restraining order, safe housing, and mental health support.

Through her involvement in the youth empowerment program, Kelaija decided by junior year that she wanted to attend college. With support from our staff, she re-took the classes she had failed, enrolled in college prep courses, and graduated this spring with a ‘B’ average. She starts this fall at University of Holy Cross in New Orleans as a Heart and Mind Scholar, with four years of paid tuition, academic mentorship, and emotional support services.

Please consider joining us again to give homes and opportunity to people like Kelaija. Your past support transformed her life. Together, we can reach more people like Kelaija.