23-year-old Kendi has been eyeing a career as a paramedic for some time. As a former foster youth and single mother to two children, ages 4 and 2, she came to us in need of housing and ready to stabilize her future and pursue a dream. Making it through foster care was one challenge. Turning eighteen and learning to navigate adult life on her own with no family connections has been another one.
Sometimes, it feels like the hits keep on coming. And, for roughly 4,000 foster youth in California, that's how it feels to age out of foster care. Foster home placements end, and a newly minted 18-year-old must find secure, safe, and affordable housing and a job, or risk sleeping in their car or on the streets.
For Kendi, this was not an option. She had children, and she needed stability. Kendi connected with Unity Care and immediately received our support to find housing in a safe area for herself and her children. Then, it was time to set educational, career, and financial goals. She went back to her dream of being a Paramedic and hasn't looked back.
With Unity Care's donors behind her, she received a partial scholarship to enroll in a full-time, intensive 12-month Paramedic training program. And, with her fantastic case manager, Keyla, Kendi also found a nearby full-time job that pays the bills, and has begun building a small nest egg.
She expects to complete coursework and training hours by March 2026, when she’ll be a certified Paramedic! More importantly, Kendi's career path ensures she will not face homelessness ever again.
