After leaving home abruptly, Amir had nowhere to sleep and could barely afford to eat. He worked in a warehouse every day but wasn’t making enough to get by.

“It was one of the lowest pits of my life. My mental health was in tatters. I had moments of wanting to give up,” he said.

When he was accepted into Eva’s Phoenix, he was ready to change his life. “I took every opportunity that was offered to me. In the Youth Succeeding in Employment Program, I went to every program possible, attended every class and completed a three-month internship at the Print Shop.”

He also worked on building life skills, achieving certifications in food handling and first aid, prepared for independent living, and worked on recovering from trauma. “It was such a relief to get out of survival mode. I had a job, a place to sleep and food to eat, and I could start thinking about the future,” he said.

Today, Amir has a job in another local print shop, has built back his strength and is managing stress in a healthy way.

He was proud to participate in laying out a cookbook that Eva’s Phoenix Foodservice Coordinator Leanne Rabinowitz is coordinating. This cookbook will feature simple, healthy, low-budget recipes sourced from youth in Eva’s programs. “It felt good to give back by working on something that needed the exact skills that I learned in the internship.”

As he prepares for the future, he says he’ll never forget the support he’s received at Eva’s.

“When I reflect on the last year, I think about the huge gap between where I was and where I am. This is the only time in my life that I’ve had the opportunity to better myself and recover from things. For the first time, I feel optimistic and hopeful for the future. Eva’s was a lifeline for me.”

Stay tuned for more updates on Eva’s cookbook project coming soon!
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