Success Stories
New Day has been working with youth experiencing homelessness and disconnection in Albuquerque for 45 years, and in that time, we have learned a few things. One of those things is that hard things happen to all of us. But if enough hard things happen, or the hard things are too big, we become convinced that no one can be trusted and that we are not worthy of good things. From this place, we start to act out of survival. For young people, this can look like running away, exploring drugs, getting involved in gangs, crime, or even sexual trafficking. And through all of this they can become unhoused. These are the youth that find their way to New Day and they are the people we welcome.
We’ve built an ecosystem of services to help them ranging from a crisis shelter, Life Skills Academy, transitional housing supports, a drop in center and street outreach, resource families and comprehensive care coordination. But the second thing we’ve learned is that having services isn’t enough. We can’t just prepare a path for young people. We must prepare the young people to create their own unique path in life.
At New Day, we see the greatest successes when we’re able to help young people find deep connections to safety, the community and to themselves. They must be recognized for who they are, empowered to discover their own qualities of greatness, and strengthened to take on the hardships of adulthood. This is the work of New Day.
Success looks different for everyone and we are so proud of each person who has come through New Day. Here are just a few of our stories of success.
We’ve built an ecosystem of services to help them ranging from a crisis shelter, Life Skills Academy, transitional housing supports, a drop in center and street outreach, resource families and comprehensive care coordination. But the second thing we’ve learned is that having services isn’t enough. We can’t just prepare a path for young people. We must prepare the young people to create their own unique path in life.
At New Day, we see the greatest successes when we’re able to help young people find deep connections to safety, the community and to themselves. They must be recognized for who they are, empowered to discover their own qualities of greatness, and strengthened to take on the hardships of adulthood. This is the work of New Day.
Success looks different for everyone and we are so proud of each person who has come through New Day. Here are just a few of our stories of success.
● Alyssa’s Story |
● Coleon’s Story |
● Jessica Story |
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"My greatest accomplishments are owed to all the wonderful people I met during my time with the New Day transitional living program.
After a time of distress and hardships I found comfort with people who understood and cared for my well being. I was seventeen years old when I was accepted into the program. Unsure of what the future had in store for me I keep an open mind and an open heart to the advice given to me by my mentor, peers, and new day staff members. I listened and became aware of the different struggles they had faced. I was inspired and truly moved by all those who reached out to me at a time where I felt so lost. Feeling incomplete and worthless I took charge of my life and decided to never look back but continue to move forward. All the encouragement and the love I felt during my stay has made me the person I am proud to be today. I now understand that I matter and I am worth more than I can ever possibly imagine.
Now, nineteen I am living in Phoenix, Arizona currently working part time and a nursing student, set to graduate with my bachelor’s degree in three years. I give back to my community by volunteering four hours a week at Thunderbird Hospital and by being a student mentor at a local elementary school. Since leaving New Day I have grown as a person, discovered my own unique meaning to life, and found my passion. Every day I am thankful for choosing life, and embrace every opportunity I get to share my experiences with others in hope that they too will see how much they truly matter. Acknowledge your potential and live life to its fullest."
After a time of distress and hardships I found comfort with people who understood and cared for my well being. I was seventeen years old when I was accepted into the program. Unsure of what the future had in store for me I keep an open mind and an open heart to the advice given to me by my mentor, peers, and new day staff members. I listened and became aware of the different struggles they had faced. I was inspired and truly moved by all those who reached out to me at a time where I felt so lost. Feeling incomplete and worthless I took charge of my life and decided to never look back but continue to move forward. All the encouragement and the love I felt during my stay has made me the person I am proud to be today. I now understand that I matter and I am worth more than I can ever possibly imagine.
Now, nineteen I am living in Phoenix, Arizona currently working part time and a nursing student, set to graduate with my bachelor’s degree in three years. I give back to my community by volunteering four hours a week at Thunderbird Hospital and by being a student mentor at a local elementary school. Since leaving New Day I have grown as a person, discovered my own unique meaning to life, and found my passion. Every day I am thankful for choosing life, and embrace every opportunity I get to share my experiences with others in hope that they too will see how much they truly matter. Acknowledge your potential and live life to its fullest."
● JEREMIAH STORY |
My name is Jeremiah. I came to New Day because I got in a fight with my little brother, but I didn’t mean to hurt him. I was just too involved in drugs. I started using drugs when I was 12. I got the drugs from my older brother, who has been using them for a long time. The drugs really messed up my life.
For a while I was doing very well in school. I was getting A’s and B’s and was playing basketball. I was pretty good at basketball, especially because I was big. Once I started using drugs things fell apart. My grades slipped, and I eventually quit basketball. Things kept getting worse, until I eventually ended up at New Day.
My hero is my mom. She has seen me through some really hard times. I don’t see my dad, because he is hooked on cocaine and he causes my mom trouble. My mom is really a strong person, and I would like to be strong like her someday. She can also be pretty cool because she laughs.
I like it here at New Day. Even though the kids are only here for a short while, it feels like a home that you could stay at. They treat you like you really are someone. I am not using drugs, though sometimes I would like to. If I was really tempted, I don’t think I could say no so it is good for me not to be around drugs now.
I have goals for the future. I would like to get a diploma and earn a trade, either in engineering or in accounting. Eventually I would like to have money in my pocket, a job,a car, a house and a diploma.
If I was giving advice to new kids coming to New Day, I would tell them this is a fun place. You get to go on field trips and do other fun things. The key is to listen to the rules and to be honest and someone who can be trusted. I would like to give a message to adults out there. Please don’t judge me, and don’t assume you know me. You haven’t met me. I am not a bad kid. I am just trying to figure things out.
For a while I was doing very well in school. I was getting A’s and B’s and was playing basketball. I was pretty good at basketball, especially because I was big. Once I started using drugs things fell apart. My grades slipped, and I eventually quit basketball. Things kept getting worse, until I eventually ended up at New Day.
My hero is my mom. She has seen me through some really hard times. I don’t see my dad, because he is hooked on cocaine and he causes my mom trouble. My mom is really a strong person, and I would like to be strong like her someday. She can also be pretty cool because she laughs.
I like it here at New Day. Even though the kids are only here for a short while, it feels like a home that you could stay at. They treat you like you really are someone. I am not using drugs, though sometimes I would like to. If I was really tempted, I don’t think I could say no so it is good for me not to be around drugs now.
I have goals for the future. I would like to get a diploma and earn a trade, either in engineering or in accounting. Eventually I would like to have money in my pocket, a job,a car, a house and a diploma.
If I was giving advice to new kids coming to New Day, I would tell them this is a fun place. You get to go on field trips and do other fun things. The key is to listen to the rules and to be honest and someone who can be trusted. I would like to give a message to adults out there. Please don’t judge me, and don’t assume you know me. You haven’t met me. I am not a bad kid. I am just trying to figure things out.
● REANA STORY |
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My name is Reana, and the story of my life is not filled with Barbie dolls and tea parties with my stuffed animals, the family dog named Lucky, or family vacations to Disneyland or Hawaii. I entered into a world of South Side gangs, drug addicts, dealers, fist fights, alcoholics, rape, family disorder and foster homes.
I am a person; a person who grew up idolizing my brother selling drugs on the street corner making the big money, hating my abusive hypocritical father, smoking weed, getting drunk and sniffing coke all by the time I was 10 years old. I thought everybody's life was like this.
From the age of 6 until the age of 10, I was sexually abused. By the age of twelve I beat on some people with brass knuckles to get into a gang, and by the age of 15, I moved back and forth between homes and my family. Now, I am in a youth shelter for teens called New Day, under the State's protection.
16 years old and life has been anything but easy for me. I’m about to move in with a new family I have never met before. I have a younger sister that looks up to me and I want to give her a proper role-model so I am going to finish school and get my diploma then become a nurse or start my own youth shelter and give back because I have been given so much since I’ve been at the New Day Shelter.
My name is Reana and I want to make something good of myself.
I am a person; a person who grew up idolizing my brother selling drugs on the street corner making the big money, hating my abusive hypocritical father, smoking weed, getting drunk and sniffing coke all by the time I was 10 years old. I thought everybody's life was like this.
From the age of 6 until the age of 10, I was sexually abused. By the age of twelve I beat on some people with brass knuckles to get into a gang, and by the age of 15, I moved back and forth between homes and my family. Now, I am in a youth shelter for teens called New Day, under the State's protection.
16 years old and life has been anything but easy for me. I’m about to move in with a new family I have never met before. I have a younger sister that looks up to me and I want to give her a proper role-model so I am going to finish school and get my diploma then become a nurse or start my own youth shelter and give back because I have been given so much since I’ve been at the New Day Shelter.
My name is Reana and I want to make something good of myself.
