Getting Back on the Road to Success

Dylan grew up in an unsafe home environment and ran away as a teenager. Eventually, he ended up in the guardianship of his uncle.

During his first year at San Diego State University, Dylan connected with Just in Time for Foster Youth through the Guardian Scholars program. He immediately knew he wanted to be a part of the JIT community and receive support to help him on his journey to self-sufficiency.

Earlier this year, Dylan’s path took a detour when one of his tires blew out. In visiting a mechanic, he learned his tires were so old that his car was no longer safe to drive.

Usually Dylan is a planner. He had figured out finances for his whole spring semester but his unexpected tire woes happened a few months into the COVID-19 outbreak and his money was running out. When school closed and things like his meal plan suddenly stopped, his savings now had to cover his most basic living costs.

Fortunately, Dylan had his Just in Time community behind him. He applied for Basic Needs assistance and was awarded the money he needed to replace all the tires on his car so he could get back on the road and continue to volunteer at UCSD’s Medical Center in Hillcrest, where he is also working toward training others.

“It was amazing,” Dylan shared about the assistance he received. “I thought I was going to have to take time off and have goals pushed further away from me.” Now Dylan can enjoy a safe ride toward his future.