For most of her life, Jules has known nothing but instability: when she was just 1 year old, her father was arrested for drug trafficking and sent to prison. For many years, her mother struggled with the weight of being a single parent until one day, she decided she couldn’t take it anymore: she left for work and never came back. At age 18, Jules found herself not only on her own… but also expecting her first child. Pregnant and homeless, she lost hope… until she discovered Youth On Their Own through her School Liaison. Determined to finish high school, Jules relied on YOTO’s Mini-Mall for food and hygiene supplies. When a significantly large electric bill arose that Jules didn’t know how she could pay, she received emergency financial assistance from YOTO and went through a financial planning workshop to help her better manage her budget. With YOTO’s help, Jules graduated from high school in 2016 and has dreams to study to become a neurosurgeon. In her own words, “YOTO provided me with the mental, emotional, and physical support I needed to graduate from high school.” Her child is now 9 months old and Jules’ #1 motivation in life.
