Help provide critical services to families

Kiara was one and a half years old when she came to Horizons. Having endured the trauma of homelessness for most of her young life, she exhibited many signs of stress and dysregulation – hitting, hiding under desks, and often crying out of frustration. With delayed speech, Kiara could not let the teachers know her needs, even if it was just for a soothing hug.

At Horizons, our program provides stability and consistency because we know children experiencing homelessness deal with many uncertainties.

With help from our Intervention Specialist, Kiara’s teachers made visual cues for everything from “potty time” to “lunch” to “playground time” to “nap”. These visual cues, along with our trauma-informed teaching, made a huge difference for Kiara in just a few short months. Now, not only can the teachers let her know what is coming next, but Kiara can let the teachers know what she needs in return – even if it is just a hug

Thanks to supporters like you, Horizons trauma-informed teachers are equipped with the skills, compassion, and resources to support children like Kiara.

While Kiara’s working with her teachers to overcome the stress of homelessness resulting from fleeing an abusive home life, her mom Carolina has been meeting regularly with her Horizons’ coach to plan a future for her family. With a newfound sense of security knowing her daughter is receiving high-quality care, Carolina was able to complete her GED and is now working toward her employment and financial goals.

At Horizons, we focus on the whole family because we know future success depends on both parent and child thriving.

The support of our community has allowed us to offer critical services to children and families impacted by the toxic stress of homelessness. Will you make a gift to help continue our work for Massachusetts’ youngest and most vulnerable children?

Please be as generous as you can for these children and families who need us.