Serenity Community Outreach Center Success Stories
Every year, Serenity Community Outreach Center helps many people with a multitude of issues. Over the years, there have been a few stories that truly embody the spirit of Serenity Community Outreach Center’s mission of combating mental illness in our community with the help of our case workers, our clients and the community that we all love.
Below are is one of our most touching client stories.
Kayla T.
Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, my tiny family and I fled the city in lieu of Hurricane Katrina. I was forced to rebuild my life in the city of Houston, Texas where I founda nd developed upon my dream of becoming the first black, female lead of a feature-length animation team. My love of art, which simmered under the guise of a harmless penchant for doodling, boiled over into a passion for painting, illustration, and animation.I graduated from the High School For Performing and Visual Arts in Houston, Texas as a Visual Arts concentrated student. However, in my senior year of high school, my mother attempted to take my life after 8 years of abuse and was kicked out of my home. I finished my senior year with high marks, but still found myself homeless and without the necessary life skills and guidance to make a living 
for myself. I have spent time in a youth shelter, and have traveled to four states and 16 cities, alone, between 2015 and 2016, living from place to place — I even wrote a 250-page memoir about my life while living in California in just a week! In 2016, I settled here in Atlanta with some estranged family in an admittedly unhealthy living situation to save some money for college. The good news is that I now have my own apartment with my boyfriend, and am working. Things aren’t perfect, but I’m in a better place than I have been in a long time. I eat regularly and have gotten worlds better at handling my PTSD and depression.
for myself. I have spent time in a youth shelter, and have traveled to four states and 16 cities, alone, between 2015 and 2016, living from place to place — I even wrote a 250-page memoir about my life while living in California in just a week! In 2016, I settled here in Atlanta with some estranged family in an admittedly unhealthy living situation to save some money for college. The good news is that I now have my own apartment with my boyfriend, and am working. Things aren’t perfect, but I’m in a better place than I have been in a long time. I eat regularly and have gotten worlds better at handling my PTSD and depression.Much of this is thanks to Serenity Community Services. I’ve been receiving counseling for almost two years and have had realizations and world-shattering paradigm shifts that I don’t know if I’d have ever experienced without them. As I said, being an animator is my dream. I’m currently working on a youtube series promoting the struggles of homeless youth and veterans through stories of my own experiences as a homeless youth, working on developing my skills as a web designer/developer, and enrolling in college. Again, things aren’t perfect, but I just turned 21 this year, and 2018 looks very bright.
Thank you Serenity!