BEAVERTON Ore. (KPTV) – A Beaverton woman is grateful for the gifts she and her daughter received through a nonprofit organization.
Youth Villages, a nonprofit organization, helps children and young adults as they age out of foster care.
Through the Holiday Heroes Campaign, the organization fulfills holiday wish lists for families who may not be able to afford gifts.
Beaverton native Marlia Johnson was first introduced to Youth Villages at age 18.
Marlia was raised predominantly by her aunt and uncle. She said that at age 14, she was kicked out of her house. She said she then bounced from her grandmother’s home to foster care to youth detention centers.
“I kind of had to go to prison for my entire teenage years because my parents didn’t want to take me in anymore,” Marlia said.
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During this time, many holidays would pass, and Marlia would not get to see her family.
At 18, she was accepted into Youth Villages’ Independent Living Program (ILP) and introduced to Program Specialist Emily Kelly. During her time in the program, Kelly assisted Marlia in securing a two-bedroom apartment for herself and her daughter, Keyari.
“Emily is consistent with asking if I need help finding jobs, food resources, housing, furniture—anything at all,” Marlia said.
This year, Youth Villages gifted Marlia a vacuum, and Keyari received a baby step stool tower.
The organization hosted a gift-opening party where youth in the ILP were able to receive gifts for themselves and their children. Marlia, who said holidays often feel bittersweet, told FOX12 that she and Keyari have found a chosen family within Youth Villages.
“Keyari was born around Thanksgiving and Christmas time, so it was kind of like God telling me, ‘Hey, there’s something beautiful about this. Yes, life was hard back then, but now it’s beautiful,’” Marlia said.
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