Aaliyah, 19 years old, TX | NEEDED BY 06/05

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Aaliyah entered foster care at a young age with her twin brother after they were abandoned at a hotel. They were later adopted, but unfortunately, things did not work out in their adoptive home. After spending some time with friends, Aaliyah remained a model student in high school but soon faced the possibility of becoming homeless as a senior. With the help of the McKinney-Vento Act, she has found temporary placement in a group home located 20 miles from her school.

Aaliyah is preparing for her graduation, an important milestone she has worked very hard to reach. As she looks ahead to that day, it is also an emotional moment for her. She does not have her mother or father present, as their parental rights were terminated when she was young, and she has not had a consistent parental figure step in to fill that role. On top of that, transportation is a real challenge. Aaliyah lives about 22 miles outside of her school district, and her school does not provide a ride to the graduation event. Without reliable transportation, attending becomes very difficult. Even while balancing school, work, and track, she continues to push forward, but this barrier makes an already meaningful day even harder to access. Support with transportation would help remove one of these challenges and allow Aaliyah the chance to attend her graduation and be present for a moment she has worked so hard to achieve.