San Diego Youth Services has helped more than 823,000 youth since our founding in 1970, including youth struggling with homelessness and other trauma. We offer emergency shelter, long-term housing solutions and more to ensure kids have a place to sleep at night.
Alizé's Success Story
"Until then, I had lived my whole life in stable housing,” shares Alizé. She was only 15 years old when her family unexpectedly lost their housing. “The day we found out was traumatic, and so were the next few years.”
For years, her mom tried to find stable housing for her five children, once sheltering them in a hot garage in Las Vegas where they shared a bathroom with seven other families. Eventually, Alizé’s mother moved them to San Diego. With only $80 and nowhere to stay, they slept outside in a park that first night.
“I was on my fourth high school by then. And if you don’t have anywhere to live, studying becomes impossible. I did my best to fit in, but it was hard. I couldn’t always shower, and I wore the same clothes. I often ate my lunch in the school bathroom so I wouldn’t have to face the other kids.”
Alizé’s situation felt hopeless. Soon, she was hospitalized but couldn’t be discharged as she didn’t have a place to go. Luckily her social worker brought her to the only shelter for children and teens in San Diego: San Diego Youth Services’ Storefront Youth Emergency Shelter.
SDYS staff helped Alizé enroll in high school, provided necessary therapy, helped her secure bus passes to travel to school and provided the stability she so desperately needed. That year was the best Christmas Alizé had experienced during her teenage years from presents, to food, to having an SDYS family.
“Storefront felt insanely safe compared to other places I had stayed. I was able to take showers, eat hot fresh meals, and sleep in a safe space. For the first time in a long time, I did not feel afraid.”
Alizé aged out of Storefront on her 18th birthday. After discharging, she moved into her own apartment and continued to receive therapy and other support from SDYS until she turned 21. She says, “In 2022, I decided I wanted to give back to the organization that saved my life.”
She began volunteering at the shelter, supporting vulnerable youth who had just arrived and lending a helping hand to staff. Today, she is a paid employee at SDYS! She tells her story of resilience at speaking engagements to destigmatize homelessness and give a voice to kids who don’t have one.
“When I was homeless, I did not feel like I had a future. I never thought I’d make it past 20. Now I want to give people hope."