Canal Alliance

This young man has come a long way: From Chiapas, Mexico, an absentee father and a mother; he has arrived today at a place where achieving his goal of higher education is a real possibility.
This student didn’t have much going for him in Mexico, so when his cousin called and invited him up to California, he jumped at the opportunity. His cousin promised to take care of him while he went to school. His cousin promised they would have time to hang out and work together on weekends.
Shortly after his arrival, it became clear that this was not to be the case. Money was tight for this student’s cousin and despite his good intentions; it became impossible for him to take care of both. This young man was forced to work, rather than going to school.
So there he was, at the parada every morning looking for work, instead of in high school looking at the cute girls and achieving his goal to graduate a 4-year University. It was tough to find work as minor here in the US. It was not long before this student was homeless.
Eventually, a kind woman helped him to pick himself up and wanted him to apply to school. But this young man didn’t have the proper paper work. This student’s dreams of going to school would have to wait.
By the beginning of the next year however, this young man had his paperwork together and was ready to go to school. Boy, was he ready! His first semester he got all As and Bs despite limited English skills and having been out of school for some time.
Sophomore year was rough however, as money was again too short and the cost of living too tall. He had to go back to work and his grades suffered because of it. He missed 40 of the first 60 days of school, worrying and working to make sure he could eat and sleep indoors.
Then he found Canal Alliance. He got hooked into out broad based service provision and his life began to turn around. He got food twice a week from our food bank. He took advantage of our networks to secure rental assistance for his housing. He became an active member of our after school program and his grades began to turn around. He found himself beginning to smile as he made some of his first friends in this still-new place. He even organized a soccer tournament in collaboration with the Who’s da Man Leadership Group.
Second semester is underway and this young man is beginning to hit his stride. Already his grades are coming in as As and Bs and most importantly, he is smiling again.