Lisa's mother was addicted to drugs. Over the years, she and her younger brother would sometimes end up at Patchwork when things got too chaotic at home.
Patchwork is a shelter for runaway and homeless children, ages 12 and up.
Patchwork is a program of Daymark, one of the aid agencies supported by Gazette-Mail Charities. Daymark, a Charleston-based nonprofit, has been serving teenagers and young adults from across the state since the mid-1970s.
When Lisa's mother became ill and later died, Lisa and her brother again turned to Patchwork. She tried to live with her father, but things didn't really work out with his wife and children.
The people at Patchwork decided she would be a good candidate for their Turning Point program, which is open to youth ages 15 to 19. It uses a four-phase system in which participants earn increased freedom with increased responsibility.
"She was natural at chores like cooking and cleaning, enjoyed joking around with the staff and flourished with the consistency of the Turning Point program," according to Patchwork representatives.
While in the program, Lisa graduated from high school and enrolled at Marshall University, where she is now a student. She's also working on her relationship with her father.
To help Patchwork continue to help kids like Lisa, please consider a donation to Gazette-Mail Charities.
The giving process is simple: Just fill out the donation coupon in today's paper and mail the coupon and your check to Gazette-Mail Charities.
Or, if you prefer to donate online, go to wvgazettemail.com and click on the Gazette-Mail Charities logo.
Gazette-Mail Charities is a 501(c)(3) organization. All donations made are tax deductible.