“The beauty is in the Journey, not the destination.” Housing Families’ EnrichEd program is a therapeutic afterschool program founded on the principle that all children deserve the support and opportunity to carve out their own path and pursue their unique dreams. 

Every child enters EnrichEd at a different stage in their journeys. Rahma’s EnrichEd journey began when she was just 7 years old. As a young child, Rahma’s shyness often masked her underlying wit, creativity, and endlessly curious mind from the outside world. Today, her mother Mona, describes the incredible growth she sees in Rahma’s confidence and openness to engage with others. She has grown into an empathetic leader amongst her peers, no longer afraid to speak up, and exudes creativity through her artwork, musical talents, and her personal expression through fashion. 

When the opportunity arose for teens in our program to design and paint a mural reflecting the evolution of their personal and collective EnrichEd journeys, Rahma’s role as a youth mentor made her a natural leader for the project. The teens painted a mural that depicted the shared experience of dreams evolving from stick figures achieving childhood goals and making friends, to imagery of rocket ships and driving during the sunset; this imagery and the words “free choice” reflect endless possibilities for their futures.

EnrichEd isn’t just an after-school program; it’s a safe and supportive environment where young people build friendships, grow as individuals, and know they are truly valued. It’s where teens gather to cook weekly dinners together, it’s the meeting place of clubs designed around student interests—like science, arts, and sports, and it’s where they have adventures—from field trips to summer camp sleepovers. EnrichEd is a place of joy, resilience, and hope, with staff who are committed to these young people for the long term.

While data tells us that unhoused children are four times more likely to experience developmental delays, and their graduation rate is significantly lower than that of their housed peers, students at EnrichEd are defying these statistics, refusing to allow their challenging circumstances of homelessness and housing insecurity to get in their way of achieving their dreams.

The mural they created is a beautiful reflection of their journeys, a testament to their resilience, and a source of inspiration for future children in our program. It reflects not only that they are unafraid to dream big, but most importantly that they believe they can achieve those dreams.

Will you help us in launching more young people on their own EnrichEd journeys? Your gift of any amount will open doors of opportunity and hope. Please consider making a gift today to support kids like Rahma in building a future filled with possibility. You can support the program at housingfamilies.org/donate.