We are so happy to see our clients in our shelter making strides in the Norwalk community.   It is particularly poignant when they are children who are developing life skills while here.

For the past six months, a 17  year old we will call A.C. and a 19 year old K. C. have been actively employed at a local nonprofit.  They first started working as counselors in the summer camp program.  To get ready, they attended counselor training and had to learn how to get to work using the Norwalk bus system.  Volunteers helped make sure they had the clothing they needed for camp and the shelter purchased their lunches at camp.

The nonprofit was so impressed by their work that they offered both were offered jobs working at the nonprofit.  The 17 year old is a typical teen, going to school, studying for the SAT's and working part time.  The 19 year old graduated from high school in May and is considering the military.

The goal of the shelter is to help each individual develop a plan so that they can be successful in their own lives and in their own homes.  These teens are laying the foundation for success by building job skills and developing connections with community to overcome the issues that has lead to chronic homelessness and poverty in their family.  We could not be more proud of the growth we have seen in these young members of our shelter families.