Sam came to FESS with his kinship family, after his parents refused to pick him up from a residential mental health facility, requiring Child Protective Services (CPS) to intervene. The rejection devastated Sam. He had to move away from his hometown to live with his aunt and uncle that he barely knew. He sank into a deep depression and believed he only had two options: to run away or commit suicide.
Thankfully, that changed. Through kinship support groups, we realized that practically every adult in Sam’s life had abandoned him in some way. Yet, he was resilient. He had an open heart and was ready to learn, soon, Sam started to see his worth, strengthened his coping skills, and gradually emerged from his depression. We started to see his personality as well. He was outgoing, brought joy to the staff and other struggling teens. He laughed a lot. He also took our adulting 101 class and worked on life skills, like budgeting, applying for jobs, and meal planning to prepare for independent living beyond his kinship placement.
FESS worked with his Kinship family to find a safe place for Sam to move near the college he wanted to attend. After leaving the program, Sam worked hard and even saved up to buy a car! He often calls to check in and helps spread the word about FESS and the great programs that made such a difference for him.
