ANNA’S PROGRESS

At the age of 21, Anna was accepted into CeCe’s Hope Center’s voluntary housing program. She is learning to work hard, not just to survive, but to live a satisfying life. Anna is provided with classes, counseling, resources and most importantly, a positive, wrap-around support system that she has never had.

Anna lost her mother to suicide when she was a toddler. She and her siblings were placed with an uncle who treated Anna as his “girlfriend.” She perceived their relationship as romantic. At the age of nine, it was reported that she had been sexually abused since placement. She was removed and placed in a series of foster care and residential facilities where she experienced further trauma. Anna ran away frequently and traded her body for survival on the streets. She was pregnant at the age of 15. When Anna aged out of the system, she often slept in parks, shelters, and cars and continued to traffic herself to survive, as her part-time wages at a grocery store were not enough.

Recently, a Cece’s Hope Center Ambassador connected Anna to a position in a hair salon where she is working toward her dream. The salon will give her the experience and employment she needs while she pursues her certification. This volunteer serves in a role that advocates for CeCe’s Hope Center in the community and helps connect resources to our participants as they step more independently into the community.

We are also grateful to Roxy, a Business Development Specialist at Vantage West Credit Union, as she has been advocating for employment opportunities for our program recipients at local businesses and teaching residents about the importance of banking and its role in sustaining independence. Thank you, Roxy, for your energy and positivity. You are making a difference!

If you would like more information about volunteer opportunities at CeCe’s Hope Center, you may email volunteer@cecescenter.org. If you are an employer and interested in investing in a young woman’s future, please contact us at info@cecescenter.org.