Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Andrea Reed, 25, 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.”