StandUp for Kids – Orange County
Krysta thought that no one cared enough to help her. Then she found StandUp for Kids.
For the past three years eighteen-year-old Krysta had been alone. After her mother was deported back to Mexico, the people she thought she could rely on betrayed her. She was put in her aunt’s custody and had been supporting herself while living in their home. However, one day she came home to find that she had been kicked out and was left alone on the streets.
Frightened and unsure about her future, Krysta knew that she was in trouble. She had nowhere to go and bills to pay. Her manager offered to help but only in exchange for sexual favors. She began living with a friend and his family, but Krysta had to leave shortly after that because the apartment was small and crowded. Back on the street again, Krysta was desperate and thought suicide was the answer. However, she was mentally strong and didn’t want to give up.
Krysta reached out to her high school counselor for help to get back into school and was sent to the local school district. From there they gave her food and living supplies, a seat at the local high school and the number to StandUp for Kids.
During her first call to StandUp for Kids, they set her up with a mentor. Immediately she had an ally to help her put her life back together. Krysta had always felt neglected and said, “Being alone and on the streets was bad, to the point that I thought about marrying someone in order to get help.”
Eventually Krysta, with the help of StandUp for Kids financial and mentor support, was able to find a living room for rent to get off of the street. According to Krysta, “They fed me during my mentoring meetings, bought me clothes when I needed, paid my rent, and my mentor listened to me. They gave me exactly the support I needed at the lowest point of my life.”
Her family didn’t think she would make it in America. However, since she found StandUp for Kids, she has felt motivated. The assistance has allowed her to move forward and to grow as a person. She said, “I changed emotionally — my way of seeing things, of thinking. I developed a lot of empathy because I know what struggle is.”
Krysta currently continues to live in a safe environment while she takes classes at Centennial Center in Santa Ana. She recently has found a new job and is preparing to join the Army. She also talks about saving her earnings to work toward her dream of becoming a business owner.
With StandUp for Kids Krysta found the support she needed to continue living. She found the motivation to thrive and succeed in her environment. Now Krysta looks forward to living the rest of her life.