You wouldn’t know it today, but as a small child, Mikayla endured her mother’s death, her father’s incarceration, and the passing of a loving grandfather who cared for her. At the age of 7, she came to live at Thornwell when no one else in her family was able to care for her. You and I can only imagine how hard that must have been for anyone, let alone a 7-year-old child. But to hear Mikayla share her story, she was able to enjoy a life on campus that included summers filled with fun! Now Mikayla has come ‘full circle’ and is a Thornwell summer counselor—serving others whose pain she knows all too well.

Thanks to friends like you, Mikayla was met with loving care and a safe, family-like home. Her Teaching Parents shepherded her. They took Mikayla to church and showed her what it means to follow and love God. At church, she met her small group leader who would later become her forever family at the age of 18. Today, she’s earned her bachelor’s degree and is well on her way to earning her master’s degree in Clinical Health. She would tell you that if it weren’t for Thornwell and caring people like you, she wouldn’t have had a second chance.

When a child turns 18, it is often expected that they are ready to enter the world of adulthood equipped with the necessary resources and a “village” to help them succeed. For a teen without a support system in place, navigating the challenges that come with adulthood can be daunting. Sometimes those challenges are compounded by past trauma, disability, poverty, and limited access to affordable housing, food, transportation, and technology.

That’s what life was like for Chris before he enrolled in Thornwell’s Transitional Living program. Due to the lack of a support system and his special circumstances with being on the autism spectrum, Chris entered the program needing extra care navigating big life milestones like going to college, getting a job, and managing finances. Because of your immense support, Thornwell’s Transitional Living program sets up young adults like Chris for strong, independent lives by giving them the emotional, practical, and essential life skills they need to begin their next chapter as adults.

Today, Chris is making A’s and B’s as a criminology major at a local technical college. He works full-time at a university dining hall, where he is praised by his supervisors for his work ethic. He’s even learned how to manage his finances, including paying rent and taxes, thanks to personalized training from Thornwell staff. Soon, he will be ready to get his own apartment off-campus and feel confident in navigating public transportation! You help give young people like Chris the ability to dare to dream!

Parenting does not come with an instruction manual. Many times, we have used skills passed down from our parents, only to discover they may not be the healthiest of skills to use. This was the case for Glenda, a grandmother raising her 10-year-old grandson. They recently graduated from Thornwell’s Strengthening Families program, a fourteen-week family program on Thornwell’s Clinton, SC campus designed to help families strengthen their bond through education, enrichment, and community.

Thanks to your incredible generosity, the program helps parents, caregivers, and their children through tried-and-true solutions to help with problem behaviors, social struggles, and navigating difficult circumstances.

Holding back tears of joy, Glenda said the lessons learned, the connections with other families, and the support of program leaders have changed their lives. “I just enjoyed it so much. There was so much love, and the teachers were so patient, so respectful, and so encouraging,” said Glenda. “It is hard to try and find people to encourage you in life. It truly blessed my soul.”