Betrayed by her family, Amanda once believed she had only herself to rely on. But she left Hays Shelter home knowing that her IYR �family� will always be here to support her into adulthood.               

A police detective showed up at our house one day, told me to pack my things, and brought me to Hays. I missed my mom before we had even left the driveway. This all started because I had been sexually abused by someone in my family, for years, before I found the courage to speak up. But they called me a liar. No one wanted to face it. Not even my mom believed me. There were hearings and interviews, trials, and evidence. By the time I got to Hays I thought there could never be a happy ending.

But I know better now. I�ve learned to not live with grudges�they don�t help. And I have more patience and understanding. I�m one of the oldest kids here, so the younger kids treat me like their big sister. They look up to me and I get to teach them things and I really love that. I�ve been learning about all the opportunities I have ahead of me and getting excited about the future. I�m going to apply for an IYR college scholarship after I graduate.

I�ll miss everyone here when I leave, but Hays has really helped me a lot and I feel ready to move on with my life.