2022 FOT Beneficiaries

Vanessa

Sixteen-year-old Vanessa was robbed at gunpoint while selling flowers and gifts on the street. As a result, she was afraid to be outside, had trouble sleeping, and exhibited classic symptoms of depression. She was unable to attend school and came to Familias Unidas for help. Vanessa received weekly individual therapy at Richmond High School where she learned coping skills and mindfulness, allowing her to return to her classes, feeling safer and more confident.

Marcos 

Marcos was 14 when he was referred to Familias Unidas due to behavioral problems and poor academic performance. His therapist learned that when he was quite young, he and his mother were kidnapped in Mexico and held in a camp for several years, where he witnessed beatings, murders, and his own mother’s rape. During a raid of the camp, Marco, his mother, and his little brother were able to escape and make their way to Richmond, California. 

Marcos’s mother not only had difficulty finding safe, permanent housing, she found she had to work long hours to support her family. Both Marcos and his mother struggled with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), with Marcos experiencing recurring nightmares, difficulty making connections with peers, and trouble concentrating in school. Familias Unidas provided therapy which included family support and counseling, help with basic needs and housing, and individual treatment sessions weekly. 

While Marcos continues to have problems with sleep and intrusive memories and his family still has financial challenges, his PTSD symptoms have been reduced and he is now an A student.

Diana 

Diana was 17 when she came to the United States from Latin America. She was depressed and experienced intense anxiety trying to cope with domestic violence and emotional abuse. Because Diana did not speak English, her counseling services were all delivered in her native language. It became clear to her therapist at Familias Unidas that she lacked confidence and had low self-esteem, making it difficult for her to make decisions. She received 40–60-minute services weekly for one school year which included self-awareness strategies, self-calming, and self-regulation. She graduated from high school, the first person in her family to do so, and enrolled in a local community college. She informed her former therapist that she feels more confident, is no longer experiencing anxiety and depression, and has a full-time job. 

Brittany ran away from home at 16, hoping that separation and education would help strengthen bonds with her family. Her goals were to finish high school and enroll in a college. Brittany ultimately reconciled with her family. She managed to attend college as an undergrad but found she needed help to pursue her post-grad education. Her counselor at the ILSP (Independent Living Skills Program) recommended she apply to the Orinda Woman’s Club for an educational grant to help cover other living expenses, not just tuition, fees, and books. She is now a Senior at USC and recently wrote to the Orinda Woman’s Club that she has earned an internship with Stepping Forward LA. Brittany will graduate in December 2022 and hopes one day to open her own dance studio.