Two-and-a-half years ago, coaching soccer at the YMCA was the last thing on Sade Burrell's radar. In and out of foster care since birth, Sade was about to turn 18, which is the end of the line in foster care. "I was really scared; I didn't know what I was going to do. I felt it was me against the world," said Sade.
Days before her birthday, Sade found Turning Point, a transitional housing program run by the YMCA's Youth and Family Services. "Every story is different. However, if they don't have programs like Turning Point it's very likely they will end up on the street," said Kenneth Tyner of the YMCA.
Once in the program, Sade came to discover there were others in the program with the same history as hers. "It was a shock to me. I thought I was the only person in the world going through this. Nobody knew how I felt. When I sat down and talked with the residents it made be realize how blessed I was," said Sade.
Turning Point started 10 years ago and now falls under the Housing Commission's umbrella for funding. The commission just received a $1 million grant to help keep a variety of similar programs going. "That ranges from this kind of a program for youth domestic violence victims, families, seniors, everything you can imagine and I don't want those people on the street," said Cissy Fisher of the Housing Commission.
The program changed Sade's life in ways she couldn't even imagine. "When I saw other people cared about me, it allowed me to care for my mom, which allowed her to care for me and now we have a much stronger relationship than we did when we were younger," said Sade.
16 July 2008
