Andre turned 18 in a place he never expected to be—a youth emergency shelter. He had only been at Child Saving Institute for two weeks, but when staff surprised him with Nothing Bundt Cakes to celebrate his birthday, he broke down in tears.
It wasn’t just the cake. It was the kindness. The recognition. The feeling that someone saw him.
The very next day, Andre received devastating news: his family had become homeless.
While still processing his own transition into adulthood, Andre was now grappling with the fear and helplessness of knowing his mom and younger siblings — ages 9 and 11 — had nowhere to go. “The worst thing is, I can’t do nothing to help them,” he told staff.
But thanks to the support of donors, Andre and his family didn’t face this crisis alone.
CSI immediately stepped in to help. Staff connected Andre’s family with emergency shelter of their own, clothing, food, hygiene products and transportation support for them to attend family team meetings and visits with Andre. They bridged communication between Andre and his mom, helping them stay connected during a time of deep uncertainty. And they made sure Andre had what he needed to stay grounded—hot meals, clean clothes, a safe place to sleep and trauma-informed care that helped him process the weight he was carrying.
This was Andre’s first time receiving services from CSI. But he quickly became a leader in the shelter—giving tours to new youth, explaining the rules and helping them feel welcome. He mops the floors, cleans the dining room and bathrooms and says he wants to start a cleaning business one day. He’s in school and on track to graduate. He’s also seeking therapy and fully engaged in his healing.
“Andre is a quiet leader,” one staff member shared. “He’s the kind of youth who shows up for others, even when he’s going through something hard himself.”
The day after he found out his family was homeless, Andre still showed up to help decorate and sing happy birthday for a staff member. He thrives on positive reinforcement and responds best to staff who understand his trauma and help him reset—whether that’s through a walk, a drive or a game of hoops.
Andre can’t go home until his family has a place to call home. But until then, he’s doing everything he can to stay on track—finishing probation, staying in school and looking for a job so he can help support his family.
