When Jen* arrived at Every Child’s Hope Steppingstone program in 2020, just weeks before her 19th birthday, she carried her belongings in a trash bag and the weight of years of trauma. She came from a home environment that left her feeling unsafe and uncertain about her future. Walking into Steppingstone marked a turning point.
Jen recalls the stark contrast between the day she arrived and the day she left:
“I walked in terrified and uncertain about reality, feeling childish and unstable. But then, that first night, I felt peace, like I could finally breathe. Three years later, I left with confidence, direction, and purpose.”
During her time in the program, Jen gained stability through weekly meetings with a case manager who offered consistent support in a way she had never experienced. She received free therapy sessions. She learned emotional strategies such as boundary setting, as well as practical life skills like completing FAFSA forms and grocery shopping on a budget. She built financial security through a required savings plan that later carried her through a health challenge. Perhaps most importantly, Jen was given the space to heal.
With ECH’s support, Jen was eventually able to transition into her own apartment, equipped with donated household essentials and continued case management. After completing her bachelor’s degree in social work in 2025 (with the financial assistance of ECH’s Eugene Carol Scholarship Fund), she is now on track to earn her master’s degree in 2026.
Today, Jen is 24 and pursuing a career that reflects how far she has come. Soon, she will begin her work as a therapist—coming full circle to offer others the same steady care and guidance that once changed the course of her own life.
Learn more about Steppingstone Transitional Living
*Name changed for privacy.