Alona spent her childhood in foster care, and her teenage years living with her mother in hotels. She ended up dropping out of school and began to struggle with addiction. When her mother was arrested, she was alone.

“We do not look like what we’ve been through!" she says. "Many children who suffer from youth homelessness are couch surfing, staying at parks hidden and STILL attending school."

Thankfully, she found her way to San Diego Youth Services's emergency shelter for youth. She describes the experience: "I was instantly introduced to a family dynamic I had never experienced before. The staff there became the family I had longed for and I began to blossom...I’d never imagined the possibilities I could have by just taking one step."