My name is Micah Corbett, and I recently returned to California after spending most of my life in Missouri. After aging out of the system there, I came to live with my mother in hopes of finding stability and a fresh start. I had no support system in Missouri, and I believed that being with my mom would allow me to begin building a better future.

Unfortunately, due to her psychiatric needs, I am no longer able to stay with her. For a short time, I slept on the porch of her landlord’s property, but I was eventually asked to leave. I then spent several days sleeping in a parking lot before finding a temporary place to stay. I have since moved again and am currently searching for a more stable, long-term solution while I finish high school.

I am very close to graduating—I only need one more semester of English. After graduation, I plan to enlist in the U.S. Marines, which will provide me with housing, food, and the structure I need to move forward. Until then, my most urgent needs are safe housing and access to food.

I have found a supportive and welcoming community at Bloomington High School, and it has been life-changing. Growing up in the system and being moved frequently, this is my seventh or eighth school. For the first time, I feel truly accepted. After years of instability, finding this community has been a breath of fresh air, and I would deeply value the opportunity to graduate here alongside the friends and mentors who have welcomed me with open arms.

The funds I am requesting would go directly toward housing and food. I have identified a nearby motel that allows short-term stays during the school year. The arrangement allows me to stay for 28 days at a time, leave for three days, and then return. The cost is approximately $530 per week. This temporary solution would provide me with the safety and stability I need to complete my education before beginning my adult life and joining the U.S. Marines.