A mother's story: Next Step at Third Street

When we first met Kelli, she couldn’t land or keep the kind of job she needed to provide for her young twin daughters. The Brooklyn native had what felt like insurmountable obstacles: she dropped out of high school and spent time cycling though shelters and jobs throughout her adult life.

That all changed when she enrolled in our Next Step Internship Program, which combines classroom learning with paid on-the-job training to prepare formerly homeless and at-risk New Yorkers to work in homeless shelters and related human services career paths.

After completing her course work, Kelli interned at Third Street, addressing clients’ needs and providing a welcoming presence for individuals who often feel invisible on the streets.

“Coming in to Third Street every day for my internship taught me discipline,” Kelli says. “It was amazing to be able to help people who struggle with the same challenges I went through.”

When a residential aide position opened at Third Street, Kelli was offered the job and accepted. She joined a staff that included six other Next Step Internship Program graduates, all using their new skills—and empathy grounded in their own experiences—to help clients get back on their feet.

“There’s so much room at Project Renewal to grow,” Kelli says. Her own story proves it. In August, she was offered a case manager position at our In Homes Now program, helping formerly homeless individuals thrive in their own apartments. “Nothing for me has been easy, but I’m ecstatic about the growth that I’ve seen in myself,” she say