Once living on the streets, she’s now headed for college

August 27, 2015

At age 7, Kathleen was removed from her parents due to abuse. At age 15, she was homeless. Now, at age 19, she’s on her way to college.

After growing up in a household marked by neglect and abuse, Kathleen was placed into the foster care system and moved from family to family. She moved in with a distant relative, who forced her out of the house when Kathleen was only 15, leaving her without a place to go.

But Kathleen wouldn’t give up. She slept on the couches of friends and stayed enrolled in high school — a fragile existence, but better than a life on the streets.

A Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Cloud outreach worker met with Kathleen and introduced her to the Youth House, a program that offered her a stable place to stay for the duration of her time in high school. For the first time in four years, she had a place to call home. She quickly made friends and stayed on track to graduate from high school — with honors, no less

Now, Kathleen is on her way to college in the fall, and looking forward to walking across the stage at graduation — a long ways from walking across a lonely street with nowhere to call home. After a lifetime of wandering, Kathleen is on a sure path to a bright future.

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