Why I Joined Yaya’s of Citrus to Help Homeless Youth

If you’ve followed me for any amount of time, you know that I care deeply about faith, family, and walking alongside those who are navigating hard seasons. Recently, I felt God stirring something in me again—a call to get involved in something bigger than myself. That’s when I said yes to Yaya’s of Citrus.

I was first introduced to Yaya’s through my good friend Tori, who serves as their Vice President. She knew I had previous experience trying to bring sober housing to Citrus County and was familiar with the nonprofit world, community meetings, and navigating the realities of addiction and homelessness. But it wasn’t until my husband, Bryan and I took in a young woman last year—a McKinney-Vento student who was facing homelessness during her senior year—that my heart fully awakened to the crisis at hand.

Our home became her safe place for a season, and through that, I started to understand just how deep and wide the need really is. We eventually brought Trinity, my cousin, into our home because we saw the opportunity to give her a space where she could thrive emotionally, spiritually and academically.

Yaya’s mission is simple and powerful: to provide youth and young adults experiencing homelessness a place to sleep, shower, study, and store their belongings. And honestly, I wish something like this had existed when I was younger. At 19, I found myself kicked out of my parents' home for breaking the rules. I thought I knew better. I didn’t.

I bounced from couches to beds, relying on whoever would let me stay. I was taken advantage of. I used drugs, alcohol, and sex to cope—though at the time, I told myself it was “just fun.” I had no car, no consistent food, and no safe place to land. If there had been a place like Yaya’s back then, maybe I would have found my footing a lot sooner. That’s why this mission matters to me on a soul-deep level.

Through this journey, I’ve learned that food insecurity, instability, and the absence of a safe, loving community are some of the most urgent needs these young people face. Many have experienced trauma, abuse, or exploitation, which often leads them into addiction or dangerous situations just to survive. We can’t ignore this. Not anymore.

When I learned more about what Yaya's of Citrus was building, I felt compelled to use my voice and platforms to help spread the word. I've volunteered to help share their vision, raise awareness in our community, and rally support around this much-needed mission.

My hope is that my platform—through this blog and across social media—can help shine a spotlight on the real needs in our community. We're working toward launching a first-phase transitional resource center that will begin with tent housing- a temporary but necessary solution to meet the urgent need. The site will include a bathhouse, laundry facilities, and a multi-use resource hub where youth can attend meetings, access support groups, work on computers, and take part in activities designed to help them grow.

We also envision this space becoming a model for sustainable living, with a community garden, and possibly animals, that the youth will help care for- offering both healing and purpose as they build life skills. Our long-term goal is to raise enough support to build individual cabins or a full shelter facility where every young person has a real bed and a safe place to call home.

We need:

• Financial donations

• Churches, businesses, and individuals to partner with us

• Restaurants to commit to supplying meals

• Volunteers to donate time, skills, or resources

• Sponsors willing to invest in something life-changing

We’re aiming for an August launch, but it will only happen if the community rallies with us—starting now. If you feel stirred reading this, reach out. If you’ve ever prayed, “God, show me where I can help,” this might be it. Let’s create a space where young people no longer have to just survive—but can finally begin to live.