Try Program
..a place for young women to find new hope
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Meet the
Girls of TRY
..stories of success & recovery
'09
Daisy w/resident Judy (above), & staff (below) Joyce Stevens
Daisy's Story
My name is Daisy and I am currently a TRY resident. Before I came to be here, I was living at Compass House and before Compass House I was living from place to place for the past couple of years. I don't keep in contact with my family because there is too much drama going on within the family which is not good for me--it's too much for me to handle. My mother passed away in March of this year and I don't know my father so I'm basically alone on my own. Before coming to TRY I was homeless.
I am so grateful to be now living in a place like this. The TRY Program is exactly what i needed to give my life a 360 degree turn for the better. I have also become very fond of the staff and volunteers of this program. Sr. Janet is a great director and Sr. Mary Augusta holds a very special place in my heart. I got the help I needed here to start my first year of college. The workers at TRY do want to see their girls triumph in life.
While I am here I want to keep working and trying my best to make it through college and not worry about where I am going home to after my classes are over. When I finish my program here nothing would make me happier than to come back and work for TRY. But for now I just want to enjoy and take advantage of everything this place has to offer...security, support, and lifetime friends.
Before I came here I was lost. Being here has changed everything for me, this program has picked me up and put me back on my feet.
So if you ever are wondering what this program has done for me, then now you know...I now believe that I do in fact have a future worth waiting for and working towards and TRY provides me with all of my other needs so I can do that. I am greatful for everyone at TRY who makes this program what it is now.
Special Person
A person to talk to when I'm scared or afraid,
A person to tell me It'll be okay,
A person that laughs when I tell stupid jokes,
A person who calms me down when
I just want to choke,
I've searched a long time to find that
person.
& I've found that
person, it's you!
-jennifer
Tara Anastasia, case manager & resident, (top); Nancy Orsini, volunteer teaches residents during photography session;
Ashley practicing her skills at TRY event.
Nettie's Story
My name is Nettie and I am 19 years old. I was born in Buffalo but when I was younger my family moved around a lot and settled in Atlanta. I left home when I was 15 years old and moved to Florida to live with my aunt. I went to high school there but I was struggling, working and doing bad things with my life. After a couple of years I made the decision to come back to Buffalo and try to make some changes in my life. When I first arrived in Buffalo, I lived with an uncle but when that didn't work out I moved in with my aunt. Soon after I discovered my aunt was involved with drugs and because I didn't want anything to do with that lifestyle I left her home too. With nowhere else to go, I went to Compass House but since I was too old to stay there, one of the counselors there referred me to the TRY Program. I came to TRY in March of 2006.
When I first arrived at TRY, I was really quiet and nervous. But I remember that the case management intern who interviewed me on my first day made me feel so comfortable; I am still grateful to her for how she welcomed me. I have some learning problems and as a junior, I had already attended four different high schools over the years. The staff at TRY enrolled me at Grover Cleveland High School and got me the help I needed to do well. Because I was going to school in New York State for the first time, I had to finish all of the Regents requirements in order to graduate. That meant I had to squeeze 4 years of gym class into 1 year and pass the Regents exams in English, History, Math and French. Well, I did it! I also joined the track team and held the All-High record for the longest shot put throw. (Thank you to the volunteers from Citigroup for the new sneakers I wore!) One of my proudest moments was when I graduated from high school - it was such a good feeling. I know that even though I worked hard for this, if I wasn't at TRY it wouldn't have happened.
Over the past 9 months at TRY, I have learned a lot about myself, other people and the world around me. From the staff, I have learned that I can not sit back and wait for things to come my way; I have to be the one to make things happen for me. I've learned how to listen and that it is really important to do that. I've learned that some people really DO care about you. I've learned that even though certain people may seem tough to handle, they are really good people at heart and can be trusted. The people at TRY, both staff and other girls are the family I can count on they are there for me.
I just began my second semester at ECC where I am studying counseling. I hope to enter Buffalo State College in the fall, live in the dorms and earn a degree in psychology. I am almost finished with the Program here at TRY so I am working a weekend job while I go to school to earn money for an apartment. In the next month, I hope to be moving into an apartment owned and managed by FLARE. Some of our other girls have lived there when they left TRY and did really well. I am excited to have my own place and can't wait to decorate it - some of the volunteers from Zonta even said they would help!
Sometimes I think about what I accomplished while being at TRY and even I cant believe it. I know I never would have graduated high school and college would still be a dream. I think I've learned to trust people and trust in myself. I'm planning on coming back and helping with TRY fundraisers because I think it would be really cool to have a whole bunch of TRYs all over the neighborhood!
Laura's Story
At 17, I am just lucky to be alive. I wasn't born bad - actually, I was your average healthy baby born in 1986. My mother was then, and is now, your average alcoholic crack head. My father, killed in a DWI accident when I was two was your average alcoholic. I was left with my grandparents after my father's funeral "for a few days..". I guess you know what happened - my mother never returned.
So my "pre-K and early elementary years" were spent being shuffled around by my alcoholic grandfather. I spent most of those early days in bars with him worried that we'd never get home because he was always drunk. I was always scared - scared of dying in a car accident, scared that he would hurt my grams, scared that no one would ever come to care for me when they were gone. I tried drinking first when I was ten. I drank everything my cousin and I could find in the house - got really sick and decided I'd never do it again - like heck.
That was just the start. My grandparents traveled for 6-8 months each year; so I was left with an alcoholic uncle and his abusive girlfriend who beat me and kept me locked in a bedroom for a whole summer with just a few pieces of clothing, a cold shower a week and some PB&J sandwiches to eat. They hated me. I was so hurt because I tried to let them know that I loved them. I think I was about twelve then. I just prayed every day I'd figure out a way out. I was so scared. I just asked God to save me. That didn't work
I ended up finding my own escape - smoking pot that my cousins smuggled to me and finally, I just broke out and moved in with another aunt for a while. That was cool. I was even on the merit roll in school and was pretty clean except for my smoking habit and some pot every once in a while with my cousins.
Things were going okay until one day my cousin's live-in boyfriend raped me at my aunt's house. I handled that by getting high - I was so hurt and angry and upset and confused - almost my whole family was messed up and addicted so I had no one to talk to until my grams came home. She believed me but no one else did. The problem was no one would believe me because I was getting high all of the time by then. I went back to my grandma's but that didn't work out too well - I started taking all kinds of drugs and then I started raiding the nurse's offices at school - ripping off Ritalin and anything else I could get my hands on. I didn't know then that I was trying hard to ease my pain - that didn't matter. My little girl-everyday-fear had given way to my adolescent need to feel better. I so much wanted the comfort of a family - what a fantasy - so I went to my older sister for some comfort - wrong move - she was doing cocaine by then and was really tuned out of school, living with her boyfriends and getting chased by the police. Well at least she was my sister so I stayed with her.
Around age 15, my sister hooked me on coke and then gave me my first needle full of heroin - that became all I cared about. Life was great on that high, and I had some money and that's all I needed. I didn't care about anything else but dope and no one else cared about me so I was happy to spend anything I had easing that pain. The living arrangements were totally messed up - in and out with boyfriends and friends who were dealing and running from the law and hiding out in city houses and country cabins to escape parole officers. I didn't care. I landed a babysitting job and since the mother I babysat for was using drugs, she didn't care that I turned the place into a major party house.
I left the baby alone and took my friends in and shot up all of the time. I was in so much pain inside that I felt bad about what I was doing and who I was hurting, but I couldn't break free to stop the drugs which eased my pain. I didn't care about anyone or anything. I started sleeping with whoever was around. I used every cent I had to get drugs and kept telling myself I would quit sometime, but then my sister and boyfriends would arrive and we'd shoot up, and I was hooked and I was running again.
Things started to get really bad when I realized that some friends we had dealt our stash to died. My sister couldn't handle that; she overdosed, and I was scared out of my mind that she would die. Still that didn't stop me - I had nothing to live for but to shoot away my pain with dope. My friend running from the cops overdosed and that was a nightmare that I vowed I'd never get myself into - I was powerless though - I was so sad for what I was doing, but I had nowhere to turn and no one to turn to. The only authorities in my thirteen, fourteen and fifteen year old days were cops, and I was running from them. I ended up worrying about being pregnant and then getting pregnant and lost the baby while I was using pretty heavily. I decided I needed a home and found my mother - that was another huge mistake. She abused the hell out of me - she is a mean drunk, and I haven't seen her since I was fourteen, lined up for charges after being finally convicted on my way to jail. But even the terrible life of hiding from the law didn't stop me.
I had done withdrawal and was afraid to go through it again - it was alone and terrifying. I had to stay high to feel anything. Well, my final wakeup call was almost my death. I woke up alright - still alone on the inside but at least I woke up the near end of my life came pretty nastily for me - I woke up after speedballing (mixing cocaine with heroin) and found myself in the bottom of a shower being slapped into breathingI ended up in the emergency room and then the courtroom and then a jail cell and the charges aren't the least of what I have to remember. I was hurt and did not even know that I had hurt many people I thought I loved - I robbed my relatives for drug money, I almost killed myself, I lost a child, I broke the law and blew away opportunities at school. I worried about people dying of drugs but ended up letting them die. I had sex many times and didn't care if it was safe or if I even knew the person. I drank and smoked and shot up money to heal my own pain. And it is so hard not to return to that life where I do not have to worry about pain. Coming out of all of it means facing my pain, my own empty life I had fed into and being so alone with no support at all.
I never valued my life as much as I do now ---no one around me cared if I was a good person or not. That is an incredible pain---and I know that pain each moment as I still try to trust myself and others. Yeah, I have a GED and I have completed some rehab and I am at TRY, taking some college courses I have been clean for a while, I have done my jail time and most of all I'm alive.
Laura & Her Daughter
Spaghetti Dinner, 2009
Stephanie's Story
My name is Stephanie, and I'm a 26 year old former resident of the TRY program. I started my journey with TRY in May of 2003, as I'd moved to Buffalo from Rochester in hopes of starting over with a friend. However, due to our, well, lack of good decisions (to be quite blunt), things didn't work out as planned and I was luckily introduced to Janet DiPasquale.
Before I joined TRY, life consisted of going to work, going home and trying to get the bills paid, along with a lot of excessive drinking. I worked in a restaurant AND a nursing home washing dishes for 16 hours a day, and that's all I felt I was able to accomplish, as I hadn't finished my degree and was still doing the same thing I'd been doing in high school. I was just going through the motions to make sure the bare minimum was accomplished. I also had a lot of personal obstacles to deal with that I was struggling to deal with at the time.
Living at TRY was fun, for the most part, but more importantly, taught me a lot of valuable living and interpersonal skills. TRY had a LOT of really good programs. One event that sticks out is a budgeting class they had with us. I still use the budgeting form they gave us, and it works well. Living with other girls definitely expanded my thinking. I'm much less judgmental than I used to be and am able to see things from other people's points of view a lot easier than before. I'm much more tolerant of people's own idiosyncrasies as well and am much more sympathetic than I used to be, which used to be difficult for me, but because of my experience at TRY, I've become a much more patient and accepting person. The staff were also very nice and were a great source of support through a very tough time for me. I still contact them just to say hi and let them know how I'm doing, or if I need some advice, and whenever I'm in town, I try to stop over to say hi or grab lunch with them.
After leaving the TRY Program, I moved back to Canandaigua, NY went back to college, started seeing a therapist for my own needs, got a job in sales with ATT/Cingular Wireless and was promoted into management. Currently, I work in Finance with Sprint in Las Vegas where I will have been for two years in June. I've also lost 100 pounds by eating healthy and going to the gym four times a week.
My experience at TRY changed the way I look at myself and my future. After living at TRY with the staff and the residents, I was able to overcome some huge obstacles I'd been dealing with for a very long time, and TRY was the reason I'd started my journey. The staff taught me the skills I needed, like how to communicate effectively, balance a budget, manage my time, and in general, organize my life. But more importantly, TRY empowered me to make the changes in my life that I desperately needed to make, and because of the program and the extremely caring staff, I can say that that I'm happier and living a much more fulfilled life than I ever thought I could have.
"I Made It Through"
I got molested
I made it through
I got thrown around
I got beat
I lost my family
I lost my baby
I lost my heart and soul
I fell more than once
I got addicted
After all, I made it through.
-Anonymous
Elaina's Role Model
In this world, nobody was much of a role model to me.
When I first met Janet, I thought to myself, "What can this little lady do for me? She's so little!" But when I got to know her I thought big things come in small packages. Also, I said to myself don't judge a book by its cover. I couldn't believe my eyes and ears when I heard Janet is a director of the TRY Program.
Janet gave me great advice; she put me into a GED program at the Warde Center so that I could finish school faster. She catches you when you fall and gives you the help you need. When I first came to TRY she helped me break my habit of smoking marijuana. Its been six months since the last time I used it. Janet is just a wonderful woman and wonderful friend to have around.
Janet has a really big responsibility she is taking care of young women such as me and I still wonder how she does it. She has to provide food and clothing for all of us. She makes sure we are healthy in being and healthy in mind. She just has a strong head on her little shoulders.
I am just so thankful to Janet. You just have no idea. She pretty much saved my life. She took me into the program put a roof over my head and food on the table. Janet provided the education that I need so I can graduate. But the most important thing that she gave me is a friend that I've been looking for. It looks like I found her. Im really thankful to God that I met her. She really changed my life around, took me out of the deepest dirt you can ever imagine. All I know is that I am not going to that dirt ever again. Ill stick with this program and do what I have to do. One thing I need to do is listen to Janet and she will guide me in the right direction.
As you can see Janet is my inspiration and my guideline toward my future. That's why she is my role model and sooner or later you will find yours.
Elaina on a
TRY outing
2009
Volunteer Betty Eagen, & residents Elaina & Ashley
BrokenFeeling broken lost and alone,used and abused and not very strong.Living in fear that I will never find my home.Afraid of loving for fear people will go,Never letting my true colors show.Giving in trade never ion kindness,Living my life in total blindness.Familiar stuff is the thing of the past,Who knows how long anything will last.- Jennifer
Broken
Feeling broken lost and alone,
used and abused and not very strong.
Living in fear that I will never find my home.
Afraid of loving for fear people will go,
Never letting my true colors show.
Giving in trade never ion kindness,
Living my life in total blindness.
Familiar stuff is the thing of the past,
Who knows how long anything will last.
- Jennifer
Sally's Story
Sally, age 17, came to TRY after spending several months out on the streets of Buffalo. Sally had been put out by her mother because of her negative attitude/behavior and poor relationship with her stepfather. At the time we met her, Sally had been living with several different men who provided her with shelter in return for sexual favors. The last man Sally had lived with had become more and more physically abusive and so Sally went back on the streets and eventually sought shelter at Compass House. It was there that she learned about the TRY Program.
When Sally came to TRY she told us she no longer wanted to live as she had been and that she wanted to return to school and go on to college. During her time at TRY she learned to deal with her issues of anger and low self-esteem. It was during her therapy sessions that Sally was able to acknowledge the sexual abuse she experienced from her stepfather, something she had repressed for many years.
By the time Sally left TRY ten months after she entered, she had been accepted into Buffalo State College and was preparing to live in student housing on campus. She had also found a part-time job. Sally certainly is a TRY success story.
Becky's Story
When I was first asked to write this, I thought to myself Great another thing to add to what I need to get done. But then as I began to think about what to write, I realized not only is it an honor to be able to write this, but this is a chance to make my story known and to show that despite of everyone thought I made it.
I was born 8/2/90 in Niagara Falls, but was raised in Buffalo. When I was one my father was in an accident leaving him with not only brain damage but a completely new personality. That left me and him with a rocky relationship. When I was in the 6th grade my world began to crumble. My father lost his job and my school was closing. I then had to start at a new school where I was constantly teased which caused my home relationships to go sour. During 8th grade, on March 5, 2004 I lost my virginity to rape. After that happened I decided I couldn't handle things anymore. I began rebelling against my family, drinking, smoking and other destructive behaviors. By the end of my freshman year, I was living at Compass House for 2 ½ weeks. I was ready to completely give up. My principal was telling me to just drop out and I was involved with the wrong crowd. My parents and I decided to give being at home a shot so I reluctantly moved back.
This time my behavior became increasingly worse. I lied about where I was, what I was doing and who I was with. My grades in school were dropping and I was constantly fighting with everyone around me. My parents put me in Cardinal OHara High School for my junior year and my grades greatly improved. However things at home were still rocky, so in August before my senior year, I moved in with a friend. In November, I found myself back at Compass House - this time for a month. It was through the people there that I found the TRY Program. I arrived on December 5, 2007.
I was struggling with the classes I needed to graduate because of all of the stress but the people at TRY were there pushing me along giving me the help I needed. I was still acting up and I was so overwhelmed that in April I walked away from the one program that was giving me what I needed. The next day I found myself in Sr. Janet's office receiving the best gift a person could give me. She was going to give me a second chance and she believed in me enough that she knew I could make it. That became my turning point. I finally had the hope and strength I needed to finish school. On June 13, 2008, thanks to the help of the TRY, I graduated from Cardinal O'Hara High School with new hopes and dreams. I have also greatly improved my relationship with my parents and we now speak regularly.
In September of this year, I will be starting my first semester at Medaille College. I am majoring in Psychology and Human Services then I will be going for a teaching degree. I was awarded a $28,000 scholarship from Medaille for my grades and also received a $500 award for my books from the Zonta Club of Buffalo.
Through TRY I have realized that just because your life story may start off shaky, as long as you try and have hope, you can turn to a new happy chapter of life and keep it there. Thank you to everyone for the help and support. It is very much appreciated.
Becky w/ volunteer Nancy Orsini, 2008.
"Although" : Crystal
Although you hurt me
I will survive,
Although you took advantage of me
I won't let you ruin me,
Although you misused my body
I won't let you take my dignity,
Although I am filled with pain
I'm not at all the one to be blamed,
Although you abused me
I will not let you accuse me,
Although I was in pain and strife
You will be the one to suffer in agony
for the rest of your life,
I will survive.
Amanda's Story
My name is Amanda. I am 19 years old and currently in the TRY Program. I was referred to TRY by a very nice man named Peter Blake after meeting him at the Erie County Holding Center. I was arrested on the evening of January 24, 2007 and charged with grand larceny due to unauthorized use of credit cards. I made a not-so-very-thought-out decision while I was mad at my mom (the one person who loves me unconditionally) to steal her credit cards and run up a $500 bill on them. I was fingerprinted and put in an isolated cell for three hours it felt like an eternity to me. I was then sent before a judge who sentenced me to time in the Holding Center. I spent six days there (six days too long, I might add.) During those six days, I was visited by Peter Blake and he told me about TRY. He said there was a possibility that if I agreed to go to the program I may not be sent to jail because I was a first time offender. So as you may have suspected, I said OK lets do it anything is better than jail, right?
So later that week, Peter returned with a sweet lady who I found to be very helpful. Her name was Jayne, and she is the case manager for the TRY Program. She explained the rules of the program and what would be expected of me while I was there. After entering the program, I realized what the consequences of my actions would come to be. I had to stay for six months. When I first heard about TRY I thought it was like a detention center that I would have no freedom, not see my family or friends, not be able to use the phone I would just be stuck there for six months. But I was wrong. TRY is more like a family - there is always someone for you to talk to or something interesting happening.
After being at TRY for a short time, I have seen myself change in ways I never thought possible. I think before I act, now. I keep my room clean and do a chore every night. I live life thinking that everything happens for a reason and God has a plan for you I am always telling people if you want to see God laugh, tell him your plan I now realize that in order to succeed in life, you MUST think about the consequences of your actions BEFORE you act!
During the last three months at TRY I have finished my GED program and have been accepted into Medaille College. I have decided that I would like to be a child psychologist so I can help people who are going through the things I am experiencing now. When I was younger, never in a hundred years would I have thought that Id end up in jail. But I guess things like that sometimes have to happen in life so we can make the changes needed. Im on the right track and looking forward to good things to come.
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Judy's Story
Hello, my name is Judy and I am a TRY girl. I am 17 years old. Before the TRY Program, I didn't know what would be of me, now I can honestly say that I am truly grateful for this program, the house and everyone here.
I was adopted by parents who mistreated me for years. Soon enough, I just left them. I was living here and there for a while and I just stopped caring about everything. I tried getting away from them for good once and didnt go to school when I was supposed to. Someone saw me at the bus station and called the police on me. When they arrived, so did my adoptive father. He and I started arguing, so the police took me away. Since I didn't have anywhere to go, they took me to Compass House. I had never heard of that shelter until that day. When I arrived there, a staff person told me about the TRY program and that's how I came to be there.
Coming to the TRY House has changed me and my ways a lot, but of course for the better. Being here has helped me appreciate myself and everyone who is trying to help me out. I never knew how strong I really was until I became part of this program. I quit doing drugs and being rebellious. I am now a better person, the person I always knew I could be but never had the chance to show. While I am here, I want to work on getting my GED and making lifetime friends who truly care.
When I leave the program, I want to be able to reunite with my biological mother. I also have a goal in mind to start off my future. I want to join the Coast Guard. Now I know that I can do all of this and more - whatever I set my mind to, but I couldn't have done it without coming to the TRY Program.
Being part of this program is my first step to the rest of my life. I have friends here, a roof over my head and the best part of it all is that I am away from all of the things that are bad for me. Thank you, Janet and Try staff - I am proud to say that I'm a TRY girl.
My Life: Lequita
What's going on? This world's coming to an end
I lost some family members and a few friends.
Try to make me feel better but I take offense
Cause they say these crimes are over then it happens again.
What will I do with all my memories; Its like anyone I turn to is my enemies
Man its just offending me
If you only knew how this pain really feels to me, man, its just killing me.
They say we're all here for one reason - so whats mine?
Thats the number one thing that's on my mind
Until someone else passes over it happen every time
I need to get myself together don't need to be next in line.
But if I happen to meet the Lord that would be fine
That will be fine
Sometimes I smile to keep from crying, that's not my style.
Sometimes I sit and wonder wow,
while other people wonder why my head is in the clouds
While youre on earth, you dont want too many enemies
I lost some family members now all I got is memories
Can't trust my enemies, sometimes not the kin of me
So I sit and use the talent God sent me.
I got a few people that Im waiting to meet
yeah that I'm waiting to see.
And like I said yawl, I'm not gonna cry
Cause they in a better place, they made it to the other side
Like boys to men its hard to say goodbye.
We need to stop all the violence,
go ahead let them doves fly.
How many times we got a homicide that keeps us guessing
Then go to the grave yard to see them resting?
At least their resting man, its a blessing
Cause we could be doing worse but we all here stressing.
Yea, like I said yawl its a blessing.
At the same time yawl, Im feeling like I'm lost
Kids having kids not knowing what its gonna cost
Out here catching diseases good as Randy Moss
Not nothing better to do but to get their life tossed.
Ill see you when I see you, matter-of-fact when I cross.
While you're on earth, you don't want too many enemies
I got a few people I want to keep in mind so I make sure I say their names in my rhymes.
Dont wanna forget who they are I say that every time.
I know they're not here, but I could still make them shine.
First one in line that would be my brother, Dave
Ever since her left, it ain't never been the same.
We ain't always get along, I dont know who to blame.
He's gone over a window, yea, thats a shame.
Next one in line that would be my cousin, Donnie
He left three behind, Chrissy, La-La and Donnice
And when I get to heaven, hopefully he will find me
Walking all around and hell stay right beside me.
Grandma is another one I gotta mention
I gotta finish this verse so just listen
I would have her here if it was my pick
She was good when I was born, she got sick when I was six.
All my loved ones been with me through the hard weather
I cant wait until I get to heaven well all be together.
Residents on a TRY Outing
A.J.'s Story
Before I came to the TRY Program I was one of those girls who was kicked out on the streets and living in a homeless shelter. After not being trusted and cared about, I was not sure where I was going to live. Then while I was in the homeless shelter, I was assigned a case manager who referred me to the TRY Program.
When I arrived, the director explained the program to me and then the case manager gave me a quick tour and we filled out some paperwork. At first, I didn't know what to expect. After living at TRY for eight months I have realized that this program has given me many opportunities. Some are supporting me in times of need, giving me a fun atmosphere, counseling, good food and most importantly, a roof over my head. Since I have been at TRY I have also seen other residents benefit as well. The TRY Program has helped other residents receive their GED, go to college, get jobs and get their own apartments. In short, the TRY Program helps to enrich and educate. I think in rating this program one to ten, it should receive a ten.
"I Will Stand Tall"
No matter how much they hurt me
I will stand tall
I will never let them shape me into a hateful being
They will never make me because I am me
I will stand tall during the stormy weather
I will not come rough
They cannot take my pride
No matter how hard they try
You may spit on me, cuss me out, and do as you please
You may hurt me mentally, physically, or emotionally
Still, I will stand tall
I will come out on top no matter how hard you put me down
I will count on God to place me on solid ground
For I tell you this is true
Keep your head up and you'll make it through
-Amber
Y.C's Story
My stay at TRY, in my opinion, is one of the best things that ever happened to me. I'm originally from Michigan and was kicked out of my house two years ago. I was unsure of where my life would go from there.
I became a resident at TRY on January 25, 1999. It was my family away from home. One thing that I enjoyed more than anything was I could be listened to any time of the day. Throughout my time at TRY I grew closer to many of the staff. They would listen to me and put me in my correct place. They helped me to realize that in order to accomplish my goals I would have to swallow my pride and stand up for what I
wanted. They helped me get on my feet. I am now in school and have a job. I do not know what I would have done without TRY.
Maria's Story
Hi, my name is Maria and I'm currently staying at the TRY residence. I have been in the TRY Program for over 5 months and the program has done a lot for me. If it wasnt for TRY, I would have no home. Without TRYs help, I wouldn't be going into my senior year of high school. The TRY Program helped me pass my exams by keeping me focused on school. The program also helped me pay for my junior/senior prom so I was able to go. I truly thank God that the TRY Program is open because if it wasn't I don't know where I would be right now.
"Sometimes you just want to bundle
them up and take them home, but you aren't
their mother and you can't be their bestfriend.."
Sr. Janet DiPasquale SSJ, TRY Director
