Neffatiti

Neffatiti lost the only family she had when her great-grandmother passed away. Neffatiti was 16 years old at the time, and shortly after, entered foster care. Neffatiti was determined to continue her education and excelled in school, despite being harassed by an older man from the neighborhood who was trying to groom her for sex work. On her way to school one day, he assaulted her. Neffatiti confided in a school staff member, who found Safe Horizon’s Streetwork program online.

Streetwork offered Neffatiti a safe place to stay at the Overnight shelter, which provided her much-needed security. She left the Overnight shelter but struggled to find stable housing. When she became a mother, she came back to Streetwork for support. At the Uptown Drop-In Center, Neffatiti says she felt like a weight had been off her shoulders. She was able to obtain critical resources like food, connection to housing, and a community that made her feel truly seen.

For Neffatiti, Streetwork became more than a resource—it was home. The staff’s warmth and genuine care gave her a sense of belonging she hadn’t felt in a long time.