Since December 2022, Krista has been living at The Lilly, a congregate living, transitional supportive housing program operated by Choices for Youth (CFY). Like many young people who live at The Lilly, Krista had limited housing options available to her before she connected with CFY.
“I was living on my own with my boyfriend at the time. When we broke up, I moved back in with my parents. But with inflation and everything…everything is so expensive. My parents had other expenses and even though I was giving them money for groceries, it all adds up, and they basically kicked me out. So, I had to find a place to move. I first went to The Gathering Place, but they told me that since I wasn’t of age I would have to go to Choices or THRIVE.”
Krista’s first point of contact with CFY was our Outreach and Youth Engagement (OYE) program located at Carter’s Hill Place. The Outreach team specializes in helping young people in situations like Krista's and thought she would be a great fit for The Lilly.
“I ended up going to Choices and talked to some workers at Carter’s Hill Place and they referred me to The Lilly. That was back in November. The workers at Outreach said The Lilly would be a good spot for me.”
The Lilly’s supportive housing model combined with 24/7 staff support helps Krista feel at ease. She knows that someone is available to support her when she needs it.
“Since it’s a building that is staffed 24/7, I don’t really have to worry about anything. If something does happen there will always be someone there to help me.”
Krista enjoys living a The Lilly. The communal living spaces provide her with ample opportunities to interact and form relationships with her peers.
““I do enjoy it…I didn’t really have any friends when I was out on my own, and I’m after making friends here. The staff have also helped me get my dental and go back to school to get the rest of my high school credits. There’s a lot of resources I never knew about, and they were able to point me in the right direction.””
The Lilly offers structure and programming that gives Krista comfort and stability, something that was missing in her life prior to her moving in.
“Especially how everything is planned out. We know we have our resident meetings at 7pm and movie night starts at a certain time. We have community suppers at a certain time. Everything is all planned out…you’re not really expecting it to change so you know when stuff is going to happen.”
The support and stability that The Lilly program and staff provide are helping Krista see her potential and pursue her other goals.
“I just had my first full day of school. Soon enough I’ll get my education fully done. After being out of school for 6-7 years it’s definitely different being back in a school setting. But it’s nice because it’s an adult education.”
Looking ahead, Krista plans to continue developing her personal and professional skills. She believes a cohort at one of CFY’s social enterprises would be a logical step forward, and hopes to connect with our Education, Employment, and Social Enterprise team in the future.
Every year, Choices for Youth works with over 1,000 young people in our community supporting them with housing, health, employment and family.
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