Aaron's Story
Aaron grew up with abuse and neglect. “When I was 15, my dad put me in the hospital,” says Aaron. “That’s when I left.” Aaron “couch surfed,” staying briefly with friends. Finally, he ended up living under a bridge, setting his alarm clock each night so he could get to school the next morning.
Cocoon House, a United Way funded shelter for homeless teens, gave Aaron a safe place to stay, a caring counselor, and the expectation that he would do chores and go to school. “Aaron’s overcome a lot,” says Julie, his counselor. ‘He’s made huge leaps.”
At 17, Aaron has a high school diploma, a culinary certificate, and is on his way to becoming a chef. “Without Cocoon House, I would most likely be living under a bridge again,” says Aaron.
• A child is abused or neglected every hour
• United Way provided 15,036 nights of shelter to homeless teens.
• $10 a week ($520) provides shelter for 34 nights.