Yolanda is Home

Yolanda Whittle, a participant in the Foster Youth to Independence initiative, now has her own space and is planning her next steps towards self-sufficiency.

After living in 10 different places during the 12 years that Yolanda Whittle was in foster care, she is finally home. "It feels good to have something of my own," says Whittle from her apartment in Gainesville, Florida. She also completed her GED, is currently working at a local restaurant and plans to enroll to become a paramedic.

Alachua County Housing Authority is assisting the 19-year old not just with a housing voucher but also with supportive services to help bridge solutions in her journey towards self-sufficiency. Amanda Nazaro, Director of the Section 8 program at Alachua County Housing Authority, supports Whittle and other young adults participating in the Foster Youth to Independence initiative with a HUD grant.

HUD's Foster Youth to Independence Initiative targets housing assistance to young people aging out of foster care and who are at extreme risk of experiencing homelessness. The initiative offers housing vouchers to local public housing authorities to prevent or end homelessness among young adults under the age of 25 who are, or have recently left, the foster care system without a home to go to.

###