Meet Zahira
Zahira feels lucky that her foster mom growing up in Santa Cruz County was her high school guidance counselor, but once she was accepted at UC Davis, she was on her own.
Fortunately, she was connected to the UC Davis Guardian Scholars Program for students who had experienced foster care.
“The Guardian Scholars program was so helpful in getting me resources for schooling, from scantrons and textbooks to anything connected to my education that would have been a financial burden,” Zahira said. “I had a quiet place to go study and was able to attend their social events, so I didn’t feel super alone.”
Zahira graduated from UC Davis in just two years – unfortunately it was in 2020 just after the pandemic hit. She decided to join AmeriCorps, working through Woodland Community College and the Yolo County Independent Living Program to help transition age foster youth. She learned about Make It Happen for Yolo County and began referring youth to us.
Not longer after, she moved to a new apartment and needed help furnishing it.
“I asked if Make It Happen could help me and they were happy to,” Zahira said. “I was working from home during Covid, so I would roll out of bed straight into my desk and chair that Make It Happen gave me. Otherwise, I would have been laying on my stomach on the floor while working. The microwave they gave me helped me prepare food and feel more like a human being.”
Zahira discovered that she loved living on her own and being independent. She said she relishes everything she has right now and the security of her own home. Having her space helped Zahira laser in on her primary life goal: to one day own her own home. She is now living in San Jose and is an electrical apprentice through a trade program at Foothill Community College.
“I heard that trades make good money, and some of my friends growing up had parents who were electricians and seemed more well off,” she said. “I wanted a job where I’m not just at a desk all day, but where I’m making money and learning a new skill. I’ve picked a good career with great health care and benefits and a solid paycheck, and there’s no debt.”
Zahira is working 40 hours during the week in her apprenticeship and then going to school 12 hours a week in the evening. When she’s home, she still cherishes the items Make It Happen gave her.
“I still have everything Make It Happen gave me, and I feel like I’ve lived in about 17,000 places,” Zahira said. “So many organizations have a great heart and are doing their best, but they can only provide cheaper items or things people don’t want. With Make It Happen, I didn’t feel like I was getting hand-me-downs. The quality was so good, and I felt like I was going shopping as someone’s grandkid.”
She also said she was surprised by how little pressure there was to take or not take items and that there were no strings attached.
“That’s a service I don’t think I’ve ever received in my life,” she said. “With Make It Happen, they were like, we’re just here to help however we can. I hope other transition age youth will take this opportunity to receive help from them. I know we don’t want to feel pitied or have people feel sorry for us, and Make It Happen doesn’t do that. They’re just super friendly and flexible and want to help. I wish there were more Make It Happens around the state and country because I just love them.”