YOUR DONATIONS SUSTAIN OUR LIFE CHANGING PROGRAMS
When Mason was 15 his mom lost her housing, and Mason had to live in a car with mom and 2 younger siblings for a year. As the oldest, Mason felt a responsibility to be there for his siblings. A burden no kid should have to feel. When the stress of living in their car became too much, Mason came to SAY’s Coffee House Teen Shelter for a few nights of normalcy, privacy and safety.
Despite homelessness, Mason went to school every day and made sure his brother and sister did too. Eventually mom was able to rent a room, but Mason thought it would be easier if his mom didn’t have to worry about him. So, at 16 he convinced an older neighbor to take him in, in exchange for doing yardwork and jobs around the house. Although he had a safe place to sleep, Mason didn’t want to be a burden to his new landlord so he spent his days away from the house. He continued to come to SAY’s teen shelter for food, laundry and toiletries. With help, Mason got a job at the mall after school, and was able to save up a little bit of money. Today, he’s graduated from high school and is enrolled at the SRJC.
Mason survived – his focus on his future kept him hopeful. And services like SAY’s kept him connected to adults who cared and could be a resource for him.