Kayla's Journey: From Foster Care to Independence
Kayla grew up on Chicago’s South Side. At a young age, she and her little brother entered the foster care system. With no nearby relatives able to step in, they were placed in Lawrence Hall’s foster care program.
As she entered her late teens, Kayla moved into a Transitional Living Program (TLP), which is a group home for young adults who age out of foster care. She had a roof over her head and a bed to sleep in, but little of the consistent support needed to prepare her for life on her own.
When Kayla turned 21 and had to leave the program, her case landed on Racheal Romero’s desk in January 2024. It was Racheal’s very first case as a Housing Advocate at One Family Illinois’ Casa Tepeyac community center—and she was determined to make a difference.
Complicating matters, Kayla was now a new mother with nowhere to go. Racheal immediately began searching for an affordable apartment for Kayla and her baby.
“Thankfully, Kayla came in with all of her vital documents in a big accordion envelope,” Racheal recalled, impressed by her organization. Tucked inside was something crucial: a housing voucher. That one detail made it possible to submit a CHA housing application right away. Beyond housing support, Casa Tepeyac’s advocates help youth aging out of foster establish lasting independence as adults.
“I felt like Kayla was going through a lot and needed more than help finding housing,” Racheal said. “She needed someone to believe in her; someone to talk with and truly listen.” They talk about everything from parenting to relationships to future dreams. To this day, Racheal remains a steady source of support, offering advice, guidance, and—even occasionally—a pack of diapers when needed.
About a month after their first meeting, and fittingly on Valentine’s Day, Kayla and her daughter moved into their first apartment. It was a turning point: a stable home, and a real step toward independence. Soon after, Kayla enrolled at Malcolm X College to pursue a degree in social work.
Racheal helped equip her for success, providing a laptop, connecting her to free Wi-Fi, and helping her navigate financial resources. Monthly stipends from DCFS’s alumni fund for former foster youth and CHA’s Level Up program helped cover tuition, rent, childcare, transportation, and other everyday expenses.
For many, time in the foster care system shapes the course of their lives in lasting ways. For Kayla, it also helped shape her purpose.
“Kayla is incredibly passionate about becoming a social worker,” Racheal said. “She wants to support kids in foster care—to be the person she needed when she was younger.”
With determination and Racheal’s unwavering support, Kayla earned her bachelor’s degree this summer, an achievement reached by only about 12% of foster youth before their late 20s. Even more inspiring, Kayla will now work at Lawrence Hall, where she once received services, fulfilling her dream of giving back by supporting children in foster care like herself.
Along the way, Kayla welcomed her second daughter into her growing family. Life isn’t easy—juggling school, motherhood, and long commutes on public transportation with a baby in a carrier and a toddler in a stroller is no small feat. But Kayla persisted, attending classes and maintaining strong grades. Recently, she reached another milestone: saving enough money to purchase a car, making daily life a little more manageable.
Through it all, Racheal has been one of Kayla’s biggest supporters.
“We have a strong rapport,” Racheal said. “Kayla is resilient—she figures most things out on her own—but she knows she can call me when she needs help with something big.”
One of those moments came when Kayla’s apartment became infested with bedbugs, compounded by a shooting in the building. Once again, she reached out.
After much back and forth with CHA, Racheal advocated for and helped secure approval for a move. This summer, Kayla and her daughters relocated to a safer, three-bedroom apartment in a small, three-unit building.
Today, Kayla is achieving the independence she has dreamed of. While that has always been the goal, Racheal admits it will be bittersweet when the time comes to close her first case.
“I am so proud of Kayla and everything she has accomplished,” she said. “I’ll truly miss the connection we’ve built.”
In the meantime, Racheal is helping Kayla prepare for the next chapter by building a household budget and planning for a future where she is fully self-sufficient.
“Kayla is the client I worry least about,” Racheal said. “She had a plan, and she followed through every step of the way to get where she wants to go.”
For more information about One Family Illinois, visit onefamilyillinois.org or all 312-388-0176.
