Three years ago, on a chilly spring night, a teenage boy stood outside a gas station in Slidell. Let’s call him Caleb. He wasn’t waiting for a ride home—he didn’t have one.
He had $7 in his pocket. Enough for a sandwich and maybe some chips. Not enough for a motel. Not enough for a warm bed.
He had texted every friend he could think of. No one answered. It was late.
He was out of options.
When the gas station clerk asked if he was okay, Caleb just nodded. He wasn’t.
This is what youth homelessness looks like.
It’s not just kids sleeping under bridges. It’s teenagers bouncing from couch to couch, praying that tonight isn’t the night they wear out their welcome. It’s students like Caleb, trying to keep up with homework and exams while worrying about where they’ll sleep.
It’s the fear of being seen as a problem. It’s the exhaustion of always running, always surviving.
Caleb was 17 years old. And he had nowhere to go.
But that night, something changed.
A teacher who had been quietly keeping tabs on him for months gave him a number to call. That number led him to One Way Love.
Within hours, Caleb had a safe place to stay.
Within weeks, he had a mentor. A new pair of shoes. A stocked fridge. A plan.
Within months, he had his own apartment.
And within a year? Caleb was in college.
The Power of Showing Up
One Way Love exists for kids like Caleb.
For the high school senior who ages out of the foster system with nowhere to turn.
For the LGBTQ+ teen who is kicked out of their home just for existing.
For the young girl who has spent so many nights afraid to close her eyes because the only place to sleep is the backseat of a car.
And we show up because of you.
Because you buy a ticket to A Night of Hope.
Because you donate.
Because you believe that no young person should ever feel disposable.
One Night Can Change a Life
On March 22, 2025, we will gather in a room filled with people who believe in second chances.
There will be candlelight and music. Laughter. The clinking of glasses. But most importantly, there will be hope.
Because for every moment of celebration that night, there is a young person who now has a future because someone cared enough to act.
This event isn’t just a gala.
It’s a lifeline.
And you can be part of it.
🎟️ Get your tickets now
🤝 Become a sponsor
❤️ Make a donation that changes lives
One night. One decision. The power to rewrite a young person’s story.
Join us.
Because hope belongs to all of us.
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