resident in black shirt

Brandon’s Transformation

Brandon (not his real name) moved frequently between foster care and his biological home throughout his childhood. His final stay in foster care began when he was 16; his father left Brandon alone to care for himself and his younger sisters and brothers while he traveled for weeks at a time.

Despite taking on so much responsibility for his siblings, Brandon was a very “young” 18-year-old when he arrived at Emmaus Place. He was unable to use public transportation or effectively manage his finances. His coping skills were limited, his apartment was always a mess, and he had difficulty making friends or maintaining social relationships. He was enrolled in the GED program at Miami Dade College, but he was struggling to meet the requirements for his classes due to difficulty staying on task and focused on his school work.In the 18 months he has lived at Emmaus Place, Brandon has made incredible progress. Through lots of hard work and intensive sessions with a wonderful tutor, he recently earned his GED! He was proud and thrilled to celebrate this great accomplishment with the other Emmaus Place residents, whom he calls his brothers and best friends. He has greatly benefitted from the life skills session on apartment maintenance, and his place is now clean and organized. Brandon is seeing a therapist to improve his ability to handle stress and anger. He recently opened a bank account, successfully navigating the process on his own and depositing a substantial savings.

He can get anywhere he wants to go on the bus – but he won’t be using it for long. Brandon recently got his drivers’ license and is saving up for a car. He is excelling in a vocational course on auto mechanics, and hopes to one day own his own car shop.

Before our eyes, and with our help, Brandon is transforming from a boy to a man. We are so proud of his many accomplishments and see a bright future ahead.

capital one volunteers

This could not have been done without the support and hard work from the entire Capital One team, but especially to our all-stars: (from left to right) Charles, Jessy, Vanessa, Danny, Donald, Caleb & Kathy!