Rosie’s Story
“A Place I Can Call My Own.”
From a very young age, Rosie was the victim of family instability and homelessness, and much of her childhood was spent in foster care. When she turned 18, she encountered challenges that are faced by many young adults exiting the foster-care system: a lack of social support, stable housing, and accessibility to supportive services.
A kinesiology student at California State University, Northridge, Rosie was balancing school, work and the daily search for her next warm meal, hot shower and safe place to sleep. Then she found The Village Family Services and was connected to a case manager, Allan Gonzalez. Allan worked with Rosie to identify her goals and potential barriers to reaching those goals. Together, they created a stability plan designed to contribute to Rosie’s overall well-being. That included finding a home.
With Allan’s help, Rosie visited apartment after apartment. But without adequate income, she was unable to secure a place to live. The Village offered employment guidance, helping her update her résumé and provided job leads with flexible schedules, so she could continue her college studies.
Rosie began working two part-time jobs and increased her income. After a year and a half of searching, Rosie moved into her own apartment in Panorama City, where she lives today. She loves having a safe place to socialize with family and friends, and where she can study without the constant worry of where her next meal, shower or shelter was going to come from. She excels at her kinesiology studies, and says she owes her success and stability to the support she received, and continues to receive, from The Village.
“As a young adult with experience in the foster-care system, I can tell you that it hurts feeling like you’re alone in this struggle,” Rosie says. “Because of The Village Family Services, my grades drastically improved, and I finally have a home. I’m so grateful and so much happier than I was just a couple of years ago, because I have a place I can call my own. My belongings are there and protected. I have a bed that is mine, a kitchen that is mine – and most importantly, a home that is mine.”