Tayla, 21 years old, OR

Wish submitted by:

Tayla spent her youth moving through foster homes and juvenile detention, labeled as a "high-risk youth." This constant labeling made her believe she was less deserving of trust and freedom compared to others. Running away became her way of taking control, a survival tactic from her past experiences with homelessness. Now, Tayla is using her experiences to advocate for runaway youth. She knows the struggles young people face when they feel ignored and unsupported. Her goal is to create spaces where their voices are heard. Through her advocacy, she fights for policies that support their needs instead of punishing them for their trauma.

Tayla is requesting a Target gift card to help with food and basic household items while her SNAP benefits are temporarily on hold. Due to this unexpected interruption, she’s having trouble keeping groceries in the house and covering essentials such as pantry staples, fresh produce, and household supplies. This would give her some immediate flexibility to shop for what she and her family need right now and help bridge the gap until her SNAP benefits are active again.