Thanks to an anonymous donor, the first $5,000 in gifts this GivingTuesday will be MATCHED. Meaning, you can make DOUBLE the impact when you support La Casa Norte this GivingTuesday.

Our collective efforts will impact the lives of youth and families we serve, like Andrea, 25, who spent her childhood in and out of foster care.

Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Andrea, spent her childhood in and out of foster care. “I never really had family, nothing like that. I’ve just always been on my own,” she said. “I can’t even count how many foster homes I’ve been in.”

After moving to Chicago in 2020, Andrea, “homeless and pregnant,” was staying at La Casa Norte’s emergency shelter for pregnant and parenting youth. Two weeks later, she was referred to the agency’s Pierce House, where she lives with her now-two-year-old son Ollie.

With her housing situation stabilized, Andrea was able to tap into La Casa Norte’s wraparound supportive services. Working with her case manager, Eddie Ulin, and an employment specialist, Andrea began a new position earlier this year with a national home care agency where she is a full-time caregiver.

“Within a week, I was working,” she recalls. “The process was so fast. It’s easy because you have so many resources and a support system of people trying to help you.”

Looking ahead, Andrea has no shortage of goals: “I’d like to have my own car, my own house, my own business. And be a person that people look up to and depend on. I went through a lot, so I really see myself being there for people going through what I went through.”

For now, she’s focused on saving and preparing for her future. “I can see myself staying here for a long time until I get on my feet. You’re not on your own when you’re at La Casa Norte. For real.”