This is one of a series of stories about the 15 nonprofit agencies that receive money from The Gazette/El Pomar Foundation Empty Stocking campaign that runs through the holidays.
There came a point when TK Hofmann was still living at home, that her mother said she had to leave. TK said she loves her mother greatly, but there was a negative atmosphere building between her and her family that made it a bad environment.
Her mother suggested she go stay with her father’s side of the family, but TK and her father had had their own troubles so TK decided that wasn’t an option.
Her other choice was to go to Urban Peak.
According to its website, Urban Peak works to help youth who are either homeless, or at risk of becoming homeless, overcome challenges while providing crucial services and a safe place to stay.
“It’s been wonderful here,” she said. “I’m really grateful for them.”
TK said that Urban Peak uses its many resources to help teens with high school, college, job training and much more. It also provides her with a warm place to stay and three meals a day, for which she is grateful.
TK wants to go to art school in California where her partner lives. She hopes to be accepted into a housing program similar to Urban Peak in California.
She is looking for a job and Urban Peak has helped her edit her resume and respond to job postings.
“I’m wiser than I was before,” she said. “I’ve made connections with people I never would’ve talked to before.”