My Own Home for the Holidays
When we first met Kenny, he walked with strength and confidence, yet, it was clear that he had been through a lot.
As a kid, when things at home fell apart, he stayed in an abandoned house down the road from where his mom and siblings lived. The place didn’t have heat or running water, and the windows rattled when the wind came through. Still, it became a stable place of refuge. When the city boarded it up, he lost even that small corner of stability.
Most people never hear stories like his. Not because they’re rare, but because young people experiencing homelessness learn early to stay quiet and blend in.
By the time Kenny came to Outreach, he wasn’t looking for a miracle. He just needed soap, food, a place to breathe for an hour. “I’d been on my own for so long,” he said. “I was used to figuring everything out by myself.”
But something shifted when he realized he didn’t have to figure out everything alone anymore.
He began applying for jobs. Saving money. Taking whatever steps he could, even when they were small.
And then the phone call came in. Kenny was approved for an apartment!
He picked up his key with the same steady calm he carried through everything else. But when he opened the door and stepped inside, the weight finally cracked. “I cried the first three days,” he said. “I mean every day for three days.”
He took five showers in one day, just because he could. He played loud music without wondering who was listening. He stretched out on the bed and let himself fall asleep without fear.
“I was warm,” he said. “I didn’t have to worry about being outside. I wasn’t thinking about what I had to do just to get by. I had a house. I was okay.”
That’s what My Own Home for the Holidays is really about. The moment a young person moves from survival into something like peace. The moment the future becomes visible again.
Kenny told us that now that he’s housed, his next dream is simple: “I want to get a dog.”
After everything he’s carried, he wants a companion to share his quiet, warm, ordinary nights. A dog to greet him at the door and sit at his feet in a home that is truly his.
Kenny’s story is a reminder of what happens when stability replaces uncertainty.
This season, as we celebrate My Own Home for the Holidays, we’re honoring every young person like Kenny. The ones who’ve fought uphill battles no one will ever see, and who slept in places no child should sleep. Yet they still hold onto the hope of a home.
While we are thrilled to celebrate youth like Kenny, the fact remains that we are still working for the youth who haven’t gotten their keys yet. The ones still waiting. Still getting up every morning to take another step forward.
If you’d like to help open the next door for an Indianapolis youth, you can. Through your donations and generosity, we become one step closer to finding homes for the youth who are next in line.
