Shay’s Story -

Shay’s Story

Shay, age 17, was born into generational poverty. One of five children, her mother was only fourteen years old when she gave birth to Shay. At the age of five, Shay began caring for her younger siblings, while her father worked two jobs and her mother a part-time job to make ends meet. Later removed from the home by CPS, Shay moved in with her grandmother, completed secondary school, but struggled in high school. At risk for making harmful choices, she turned to Goodwill’s GoodGuides® Youth Mentoring Program. GoodGuides® certified Mentors provided one-on-one and group mentoring activities to help Shay prepare for school completion, post-secondary training, and productive work alongside developing relationships with caring adults who helped her to see her strengths and connect to the community in a meaningful way.