Growing up in Oildale, California, Kelly’s childhood was marked by trauma and rejection. Taken advantage of by a neighbor as a young child and abandoned by her father at age four, Kelly turned to drugs to numb her pain.

By age 11, she had already experienced her first high. What followed were years of struggle, bouncing between periods of sobriety and deep addiction, “By the time I was in junior high school, I already had all this brokenness inside of me … My dad left when I was only four years old, and that was my first form of rejection in life,” Kelly remembers.

Kelly’s last year of addiction was her darkest. “I ended up in some of the most demonic places,” she remembers. But even in those moments, she clung to her Bible, sensing it was her lifeline. “I always had a Bible. I don’t know why, but I knew it was my source, so I would just hold onto it in a room, literally in a corner. I thought I was going to die.”

It was her mother who finally came to her rescue, taking Kelly to a doctor and then home to recover. Within days, Kelly found herself walking through the doors of Kern County Teen Challenge. “I was so scared,” she admits.

Kelly’s journey at Teen Challenge wasn’t easy, but God began to do a work in her life through the program. “God began to speak to my heart and reveal things I had buried,” she shares. The program provided her with the time and resources she needed to heal, grow, and develop a deep relationship with God.

Today, Kelly’s life has come full circle in ways she never imagined. After working with Teen Challenge for nearly eight years, she felt called to return to her roots. She went back to school, became a certified drug and alcohol counselor, and now works as a substance abuse specialist for the Kern High School District. “I literally have my dream job,” she beams. “I’m North High School’s Drug and Alcohol Counselor. God brought everything full circle. I never thought in a million years that I’d be back in Oildale, but here I am at North High, just up the street from where I grew up.”

In her current role, Kelly uses her past experiences to connect with and help troubled teens. “I get to pour into teenage kids’ lives and teach them about the dangers of drugs and alcohol, what it can do to not only your body but your life, and where it can lead you,” she explains. Her story helps build connection with them, breaking down barriers and opening doors for healing and prevention.

Your gift to Teen Challenge can help provide the resources and support needed for individuals to break free from addiction and find new purpose in life. Consider making a one-time gift or setting up a recurring donation today. Your contribution could be the lifeline someone needs to start their journey of transformation.