Stories

“I had never seen anyone in my family or community attend college and successfully build a career.”  Jessica is a 26-year-old alumna from the … Read More about Jessica, First-Generation College Student, HWA Alum

Amina - HWA-SF Cohort 1, MSW  Amina was a member of the first cohort of HWA-SF. After high school, she started community college and soon transferred … Read More about Amina, First-Generation College Student, HWA Alum

Sophia, HWA-SF Cohort 2, MSW “HWA provides tender loving care. They really believe in you and motivate you. A lot of kids don’t have parents who … Read More about Sophia, First-Generation College Student, HWA Alum

Saul – HWA-Marin, Currently studying at UC Merced, graduating in 2019 While a student at San Rafael High School, Saul felt, “Huckleberry was a safe … Read More about Saul, First-Generation College Student, HWA Alum

Kimberly, HWA-SF, Currently studying at CSU Monterey Bay, graduating in 2019 Kimberly is currently a junior at CSU Monterey Bay. She will graduate … Read More about Kimberly, First-Generation College Student, HWA Alum

Keila – HWA Marin, Sonoma State University “Being a first-generation student - there are challenges,” says Keila, whose older sister is also a … Read More about Keila, First-Generation College Student, HWA Alum

Marisol – HWA Marin, Sonoma State University Marisol joined HWA while she was in 8th grade at San Rafael High School and says, “It was the best … Read More about Marisol, First-Generation College Student, HWA Alum

Martin, HWA-SF, Pursuing a PhD in Biology at MIT A graduate of Lincoln High School, Martin found the college application process, “disheartening.” … Read More about Martin, First-Generation College Student, HWA Alum

Jessica, HWA Marin, Pursuing a Master’s in Higher Education, Student Affairs, Iowa State University “HWA made me feel like I could go to college,” … Read More about Jessica, First-Generation College Student, HWA Alum

Huzaifa HWA-SF:, Research Assistant at the Center for Labor Studies & Sociology Peer Advisor at UC Santa Cruz Although Huzaifa was accepted to … Read More about Huzaifa, First-Generation College Student, HWA Alum

Look at those smiles! This is Ciara, a Huckleberry Advocacy & Response Team (HA&RT) Intervention Specialist, with Maryjane, a young woman who … Read More about An Anonymous Donor Made a Client’s Dreams Come True

It’s quite possible my circumstances wouldn’t be as positive today if it weren’t for me running away to Huckleberry House when I was 14. I’m so … Read More about Huckleberry House Client – Sorinne

We have participated in family therapy with Huckleberry House and it has been the single best mental health service provider we’ve encountered in the … Read More about Huckleberry House Family Counseling Clients – The Paoli Family

I would not be where I am today if not for Huckleberry. The leadership skills I’ve gained and the relationships I’ve made through Huckleberry have had … Read More about “My life before Huckleberry was a downward spiral.” – Christina’s Story

In 1997, at age 11, Yusuf Hansia moved to Mill Valley, CA from Bahrain to live with his grandparents. He remembers the culture shock and always being … Read More about “Huckleberry was life saving for me when I had nowhere to go.” – Yusuf’s Story

My mom was a single mom and I was raised in the Western Addition. I had a couple of friends who tested positive for HIV, and those I found myself in … Read More about “My world changed the first time I walked in Huckleberry’s doors.” – Lateefah’s Story

In the 1980s, Huckleberry began focusing the growth of our health programming for youth. By the end of the decade, the HIV epidemic loomed large and … Read More about Remembering Danny Keenan – Huckleberry’s First HIV Program Director

During the Summer of Love, Wayne LaRue Smith was twelve and living in a chaotic and violent home in Reno. His bipolar and schizophrenic mother was an … Read More about “I know, first hand, that organizations like Huckleberry make a difference for kids.” – Wayne’s Story

Approximately a decade after Huckleberry House opened its doors, Johanna began running away from home to escape an abusive home environment. “I was … Read More about A Vision of what a Normal, Peaceful and Stable Environment Could Be

We recently reconnected with Michelle, who stayed at Huckleberry House over thirty years ago when she was just 13 years old. Now a mother of three, … Read More about “Young People Need a Place where They Feel Safe and Huckleberry Is that Place”

In 2010, former Huckleberry Executive Director Bruce Fisher and Vicky Valentine, Director of Huckleberry Wellness Academy-San Francisco, gave a … Read More about “I Want to Help Break the Cycle of Violence and Abuse”

For decades, Huckleberry has had the honor and privilege of serving Bay Area youth and families.  One of our former clients, Linelle, shares her … Read More about I Have Somehow Been Able to Make a Life for Myself…

Huckleberry’s HIV Prevention Workshops were recently featured in Kenneth Cole PSA series. One of our speakers, Austin, is a hero in the fight against … Read More about Huckleberry Hero In The Fight Against HIV: Austin Padilla

Jayden (whose name has been changed), is a sixteen-year-old who has been the victim of sexual exploitation since she was fourteen. Jayden was referred … Read More about A Victim of Human Trafficking – Jayden’s Story

Like all of our Huckleberry Wellness Academy students, William had difficult choices to make the spring of his senior year, and many questions to … Read More about Catch Up With HWA Alum William Liem

Soy Kim has been a Huckleberry CARC Mentor for a little over a year and feels a very special connection to Huckleberry’s programs. When she was 15 … Read More about Huckleberry House Client Paying It Forward