Deshala learned early on how to handle whatever life threw her way. At 8, she called 911 when her mother collapsed on the floor. At 10, she started paying the family bills that piled up in the mailbox.

In her early teens, Deshala’s mom’s illness grew worse, and her mom needed to move into a long-term care facility. Deshala struggled. She became depressed and was admitted to a psychiatric hospital. With no one in her family able to care for her, she entered foster care and met Children’s Law Center.

We stepped in immediately to make sure Deshala’s transition from the hospital to her placement in a group home went smoothly – from lining up medications to ensuring she stayed connected to her mom. For the first time in a while, she felt a sense of stability – but worried how quickly it could disappear.

With the help of her Children’s Law Center attorney, Deshala found the confidence to start planning for the life she wanted. By the time she turned 20 last December, she had big dreams and was on her way to reaching them.

I hope you will support Children’s Law Center with a gift so together we can provide DC’s kids with the stability to dream big.

But Deshala knew she was racing against the clock. As soon as she turned 21, she would “age out” of the foster care system. Overnight she'd lose her home and her safety net – with no family to fall back on.

Still, with support from Children’s Law Center, she felt ready. She began attending college and saving up for her first apartment. Deshala felt more excited as each day passed. But then the pandemic hit.

“I was so close to graduating from my medical assistant program, but everything just stopped,” Deshala remembers. Deshala’s job cut her hours, and she worried that in just a few short months she could face her worst fear: homelessness.

What she didn’t know was that Children’s Law Center was already leading an effort to get legislation passed that would prevent foster youth from losing housing stability and financial support in the midst of the pandemic. In June, DC became one of the first jurisdictions in the country to extend foster care supports for those who turn 21 during the public health emergency.

For Deshala, the extension is life-changing. It means that she’ll have at least an extra three months to finish her program, find an apartment to call her own and start her career in health care. All without the threat of homelessness looming over her.

Please make a gift today. Together, we can make sure children like Deshala emerge from this crisis with renewed hope and resilience – on the path to a brighter future.

With gratitude,

Judith Sandalow

P.S. Thousands of children like Deshala need your help this holiday season. Make a gift of $500 or more by December 31^st and your donation will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to a combined total of $50,000.

*We always provide clients the option to change their name or use initials when sharing their story. Names in this story have not been changed. Read Deshala's full story here.

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