Meet Erica
As a child, Erica bounced from house to house without adults caring for her. Her father was never present past her 5th birthday, and her mother was not a United States citizen and left the country. Being on her own led to her stealing hygiene products from local drug stores and skipping school to pursue gang culture. Her family and peers from whom she sought love and compassion took advantage of her. Looking back today on her choices, Erica realizes that she acted this way because she felt she had to. Living in constant survival mode, she was never provided with anything a child deserves – from a roof over her head to clothes on her back.
At age 17, alone and on a path to destruction, Erica found Casa de Amparo. Her situation was quite unusual since she spent time in probation and the foster care system, but neither agency had room for her. At one point, while detained on a curfew violation, she had no home to go to. “I remember a sheriff driving me around a neighborhood just begging me to name a place where he could drop me off with any of my legal guardians, but unfortunately, that place didn’t exist.”
Erica was in “placement” for almost a year until she found the Casa de Amparo Residential Services program. She was provided hygiene items and a welcoming environment to settle into on her first day there. This was the first time anyone had provided anything for Erica in her life.
Casa provided Erica with resources for learning and medical care, an allowance, and a place to feel safe. Erica was also offered opportunities to experience the “normal” activities of most teenagers: she attended her high school prom, learned how to manage finances, experienced her own style, and finished her education.
“Casa de Amparo truly kept me alive. They protected me and gave me all the love and support I needed. Tough conversations were never tough with Casa. This organization is truly something special because the staff are reassuring and provide guidance, support, and safety.”
Erica credits Casa de Amparo with jumpstarting a future she didn’t know existed. After completing her time in Residential Services, Erica found a new drive to succeed. She consistently demonstrated leadership skills and a desire to learn in her career and life in general. She became a store manager for multiple retail companies and currently serves in that role at a luxury handbag store.
“My growth is continuous, and I could only have dreamed of this as a child. Thank you, Casa de Amparo, for helping me get here, for setting the bar high, and for being an ongoing example of what I never experienced in any biological household.”