When Isaac was just 11 years old, he found himself navigating adult responsibilities most kids wouldn’t dream of. Living in a shelter with his mother, Isaac took it upon himself to complete their SNAP enrollment paperwork while his mom searched for work. It was one of many moments in his young life that demanded resilience and maturity far beyond his years.

Isaac’s childhood was marked by instability. He moved every school year until ninth grade, attending five elementary schools, six middle schools and two high schools across multiple states. He experienced homelessness five times and lived in four different shelters.

“The first shelter me and my mom lived in was in San Antonio when I was 8,” Isaac recalled. “We stayed there for a couple of months before renting a room, then moving into our own house, which later caught fire. After that, we were homeless again.”

Despite these challenges, Isaac’s determination never wavered. “Being in shelters shaped me to become a hard worker and very determined to be financially responsible so that my mom and I would not be back in those situations,” he said.

That drive led him to make tough decisions like quitting a stressful job at an animal hospital, even though he needed the income. “I was being attacked by animals, and the environment was overwhelming,” Isaac said. “I chose to leave and found a better job, where I still work today.”

Now a freshman at Johnson C. Smith University majoring in computer engineering, Isaac is building a future rooted in stability and success. A key part of that foundation has been Youth Villages’ newly launched financial literacy program.

Unlike their peers, many young people who have foster care often lack basic financial literacy skills. While some of these skills are taught in school or other programs, many former foster youth miss out on learning skills such as budgeting, opening bank accounts or filing taxes. Youth Villages’ financial literacy program empowers young adults to make confident decisions and build stability.

Isaac’s story is a powerful reminder of how education and support can transform lives. With his sights set on graduating college and securing a good job, Isaac is well on his way to achieving the financial independence he’s worked so hard for while inspiring others to do the same.

About Youth Villages – North Carolina

In collaboration with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, our North Carolina services focus on strengthening families to prevent or reduce the need for out-of-home placements (Intercept, MST, and High Fidelity Wraparound) and supporting youth who age out of foster care or lack a stable caregiver as they transition to adulthood (LifeSet).

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