Akiva spent his childhood bouncing from foster home to foster home. In his mid-teens, his grandmother rescued him from the system and adopted him.
Even with his grandma’s support, finding stability was a rocky road for Akiva. “Adapting to normal life outside the system was harder than I had imagined,” he recalls. He struggled to keep up with high school classes but managed to push through and graduate.
The years that followed brought more challenges. As a young adult, Akiva drifted in and out of homelessness, wrestling with the trauma of his unstable childhood. “My anger was my greatest hurdle,” he admits.
After a stint in jail, he felt lost… with nowhere to go and no one to help him. That’s when he was led to the Allentown Rescue Mission.
“The support I’ve received has helped me see my path more clearly.”
When Akiva walked through our doors, he found more than just a place to rest his head. After getting his basic needs met in our Emergency Shelter, Akiva enrolled in the Transformation Program.
Through classes like anger management and life skills, as well as Bible study and guidance from our staff, Akiva feels more mature and is better able to navigate the emotions that once derailed him.
In the beginning of the year, Akiva enrolled in a welding class and completed it in the spring. Now a certified welder, Akiva found a job with the help of the Allentown Rescue Mission staff and is successfully working – a dream he’s held for years.
He’s also rediscovered his passion for art. In his free time, Akiva is drawing, animating and even designing his own clothing line which he hopes to launch.
These days, Akiva’s outlook is one of hope. “I’ve learned there’s always a way, there’s always someone willing to help and there are always options.”
Because of you, Akiva is experiencing Thanksgiving in a whole new way this year… with a fresh perspective on life and a heart of gratitude. “Thanks to this program, I’m becoming the person I’ve always wanted to be!”