Who This Helps

For 6 years I have been working with an amazing young man. He has experienced so much trauma in his life, including two failed adoptions. Around age 12 there was an incident where one of his front adult teeth was knocked out of his mouth. Because of this he is very self-conscious about his smile, as there is a large gap. When he was younger, he exhibited very extreme behaviors and had no stability in his life. Eventually, around age 15, things started to change as he began to accept help and trust the people around him. He engaged in therapy, worked with staff to learn life skills and gained an introspection few ever do. Despite the trauma and obstacles, he continued to show resiliency and a positive outlook. We continued to search for an adoptive family and eventually a match was discovered. He formed a bond with this family and transitioned to their home. He has been with the same family for the last three years and views them as his mother and father. Despite his desire to hold off on finalizing the adoption, the family completely views and accepts him as their son. He recently graduated from the public high school, after being in alternative schooling from K-10th. This was a major accomplishment and he is now looking to pursue community college before attempting a 4-year university. I feel honored to have been a part of his journey in becoming such a mature, motivated and joyful young man. I am asking for your help to give this young man the full smile he deserves. I would love to see the brightness he has inside reflected in the smile everyone can see!