“Kerry’s” mom knew money was tight, but she wasn’t expecting to get evicted from her home. She took Kerry and their cats to live at a motel for a while. A few days became a week, and one week became several. Kerry trusted her mom’s promise that they’d have a home again before long, but the more time that went by the more frustrated and anxious she became. Kerry struggled with depression, and it got worse and worse the longer they stayed at the motel.
Kerry felt cramped in the motel with her mom and the cats, so she started sleeping on friends’ couches and even the street, until one night she found herself at Second Story for Teens in Crisis. She immediately felt better staying in a home with her own bedroom, three meals a day, and people who cared about her. The counselors focused on helping Kerry learn independent living skills and enroll in a GED program so she could graduate from high school. A family counselor helped Kerry and her mom decide to move Kerry in with her aunt and uncle, who could provide a safe and stable place for her to live. Kerry is now doing much better. She had felt hopeless and confused, but with Second Story for Teens in Crisis’s help, she found a support network to help her out of her season of homelessness.
