When Devante joined Just in Time at age 18, he was surprised by the community he discovered. “It was a place where people actually did what they said they were going to do. Everyone in the community went above and beyond for each other. And with. The staff being former foster youth, like me, they could really understand me.”
It was a new kind of support, one that Devante hadn’t experienced before. “I was pretty much kicked out when I was 18 and had to figure out what to do from there. I didn’t understand the importance of scholarships to complete my college education or about paying bills or credit. I had to learn it all on my own.”
During the pandemic, Devante joined Rise to Resilience, JIT’s service that is designed to address mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing and to help youth heal from adverse childhood experiences. “I was looking for more access to people. I knew JIT services were good for that, almost like therapy. Just being able to express yourself and talk about different topics. Having a sense of community.”
Devante discovered that the segments on healthy nutrition and learning about one’s strengths were particularly helpful in his new role as a father. “Sometimes I do things with my son, and then I think: I don’t like that. I’m not going to do that anymore.”
