TIGER

My name is Tiger Rose. I am 20 years old. Ambassadors of Hope and Opportunity (AHO), Marin’s only nonprofit for homeless youth like me, has had an immense impact on my life. Being a homeless youth, my counselor referred me to Zara, AHO’s Founder for help. Zara met me within a day after my call, and has been helping me so much with many things right from the first day we met.

I needed a phone and AHO got me that phone. I needed trauma counseling and Zara took me that same day to sign up with the Clinic to get an appointment with the trauma counselor that AHO uses that has helped so many youth like me, change their lives. I can work with this counselor for as long as I need at no charge. AHO has connected me to dental work from one of their 5 professional dentists for my cavities, and has even helped me get reinstated at my old job, and to get my high school diploma, with Northbay Conservation Corp. Conservation Corp is one of AHO’s 120 Alliance for Youth partners.

I’ve been sheltered most of my life, and haven’t been around other youth for any of my teen years. I’ve been fearful of going outside and getting lost and not knowing how to interact with other youth. These fears have been quite the obstacles for me. Since working with AHO, and the AHO Youth Team, I’ve gained many essential social and communicative skills by being a part of AHO’s events, like the Building Bridges youth-led project the AHO Youth Team planned and launched at Marin Oaks High School and will be taking into all the high schools of Marin. This was the first event I was able to speak publicly for years.

I also participated in the AHO Council of Investor’s meeting along with 3 other youth. The Council is the fundraising part of AHO, and youth like me are always invited to participate and share their stories. When I look back at who I was before I met Zara, I realize I’ve made so much progress in finding myself, and the confidence I need to continue moving forward.