I grew up in the foster care system and did not have much support around me. I became homeless and lived in my car with my four-year old son for several months. I sought help from Upward Bound House, and they immediately focused on increasing my income and assisting me in finding permanent housing. After a few months, my son and I moved into our own apartment, UBH helped pay for the security deposit and subsidized a portion of the rent allowing me to save money for the future. Today, I have a full-time job and my family’s future looks bright and promising.  

I moved to Los Angeles from Kern County to do better for me and my son Xavier. Shortly after, I ended up with nowhere for us to go. Xavier and I were blessed to stay at Upward Bound House, which provided stability. I was provided with multiple great resources like jobs, schooling, childcare, the list goes on. When provided the opportunity by the program to receive pharmacy technician training, I was excited. I’d been looking into that field for a bit and it was the perfect opportunity to elevate myself. It’s not easy but when you have no one, you go for it 10 times harder because no one is going to give it to you, but you. I want a better life for my son, I do it for him! I want us to continue elevating. Upward Bound House has taught me a lot, not just provided resources, they’re a big part of why I am where I am today.

Upward Bound House provided my family and me with a comfortable, stable place to live while I saved money and searched for permanent housing. I’m an Army veteran, and I was working in the film industry when I was still unable to pay my rent and became homeless. My kids loved the food at UBH and were excited to receive Christmas gifts through their Adopt-a-Family program. My partner and I both advanced in our careers with the help of employment specialists and Life Skills Workshops. Thanks to UBH’s friendly staff, my family successfully graduated from the program. Now we’re living on our own!  With a newfound stability and success in my career, I hope to create a similar program to UBH so I can help out people in need. I also plan to donate to Upward Bound House in the near future!