You survived the streets for days or maybe months. Then a street outreach worker tells you about a safe place to go for food， clothes， and a hot shower. Tired and alone， you decide to check the place out. It’s an emergency shelter for homeless youth. A couple of weeks later， you move to a program where you can get housing and advice on how to live on your own. You may begin to talk to your family and get together with them for activities and holiday gatherings. After a while， you feel strong and ready to move on. Still， it may not be easy.
　　Will you remember to pay your rent on time？ Be able to juggle school and work？ Living on your own takes more than a strong will and a positive outlook. When things go wrong you may have to ask for help. There’s nothing wrong with making mistakes and needing a second chance.
　　The first 17 years of my life are probably not much like other kids my age that you might know. I was born in Colombia， adopted into an American family， and then kicked out when I began dating someone my family didn’t approve of."
　　Juan found out he was too old for foster care and he ended up in a work camp. When he was released， the only place he had to go was on the streets. He found a transitional living program， and it was there that he began to feel hope.
　　"I don’t care who you are： everyone needs a safe place to be， whether it’s your home， a relative’s home， or， in my case， an agency. Safety and security help people’s lives run when they are the most destitute. My agency provided me with the concrete things I needed for self-sufficiency： housing， assistance with getting a job and education， food， clothing， and safety. They also instilled in me a sense of hope， confidence， and responsibility. Their programs and my hard work helped me to reach my goals， but their staff’s acceptance， advocacy， and encouragement helped me to realize my potential."
　　Juan was able to practice playing his music every day with a piano that was donated to his agency. The agency’s employment and education program connected him to opportunities with a local children’s theater， where he gave piano lessons to children. His agency also supported him as he prepared to apply to colleges.
　　Juan is now a student at The Julliard School of Music in New York City. Having a creative outlet and pursuing his passion allows him to greet each day with new confidence.
　　"Like all of us， I still have challenges. But I know I can come back to my agency and have someone help me overcome them. I know I can succeed and make all of my dreams come true. Without my agency this would not be possible. In big and small ways， life does get better when there’s somebody there to show you that you matter."
　　胡安出生在哥伦比亚，被一个美国家庭收养。他17岁时由于交友不慎被收养家庭抛弃，后又被劳教所管教，只好流浪街头。幸运的是他加入了一个帮助青年人人生过渡的机构，在这里他的生存得到了保障，甚至还获得教授小学生钢琴的机会。他现在是茱莉亚音乐学院的学生，对于未来他仍有很多未知，但是他说，“我知道我还可以再来这个机构，它会帮助我克服遇到的困难，我相信我能实现梦想。”