The document describes the difficult childhood experiences of the author, including living in an abusive household with drug and alcohol use, experiencing unwanted touching, developing low self-esteem, and attempting suicide. Through the help of a mentor, the author was able to overcome depression and self-hate, gain a connection to life, and improve their mental well-being and outlook. The second part discusses the need to support youth mentoring programs to help at-risk youth facing issues like bullying, drug abuse, and violence in order to improve outcomes and reduce social problems.

2. My house was not always……….
…………………..………”Normal”
At my house things weren’t exactly…….normal

3. Those bumps in the night, weren’t
ghosts….but fists of fury

4. That odd smell in the air….it wasn’t incents
but Marijuana and the mood swings were
from hard narcotics who knew things could
be this way??

5. Touches in the night weren’t always good
night tucks and kisses, but mysterious hands
touching me in forbidden places……

6. When I looked in the mirror ….I hated what I
saw, a beast in the making, everything was
wrong

7. I hated to see the coming and passing of a
new day, so suicide soon became the only
way …

8. Pills and knives were my options….tried with
no success, so decided to make a concoction

9. Admit you are unattractive, believe you are
beneath, never trust anyone…quite mouths
make you invisible and love will never be
yours take everything that comes your way as
much as you can endure….

10. So I did just that…and the dark cloud hung
low my new friend depression was the reason
for my new low

11. Low, lower, lowest….I was sinking
fast…until I made up my mind….I need to be
free, free at last

12. Free from self hate, depression, and defeat,
fear, and anxiety, and someone will eventually
love me…

13. I began to speak good things, move in an
upward direction with the help of my mentor
I finally had a connection

14. A connection to life, love, and a new
world….who knew I could be….would
be…ever be… this girl~
Sincerely, An At Risk Child

15. This year alone we as a society and community have witnessed
an alarming increase in teen bullying, cyber bullying, drug
abuse and use, dating violence, low self esteem, identity crisis
and many more contributing factors plaguing the lives of our
youth . These factors are leading to in-school violence,
homicides, and suicides, increases high school drop out rates,
teen and pre-teen pregnancy, and juvenile and eventually adult
incarceration! What can we do to reduce such catastrophes?

16. We at Red Sea Project have found the answer to the questions our
youth face. The answer is MENTORING! Mentoring has been
found to decrease negative and unhealthy behaviors, improve
academic production, increase higher education enrollment and
completion and significantly decreases incarceration in juvenile
systems and adult systems. Red Sea Project needs your help to
continue helping youth and at-risk youth become the successes
they are. Contribute to our campaign CHANGE FOR A
CHANGE, your donations will go towards one-on-one
mentoring, counseling, fees for extra-curricular activities,
uniforms, community inclusion activities and more! Help us
help others TODAY! Use your change to make a CHANGE!

17. CHANGE FOR A CHANGE
http://www.gofundme.com/5kbeiw