Keh-ven

Help me support a talented and homeless art student. Recently, I have taken in a homeless art student that attends college with my youngest son. Unfortunately, certain circumstances prevent him from going to school for a second year. 

Born and raised in America, Kevin struggled to live in a household governed by parents of Chinese heritage. His parents are very traditional. They prevented him from an independent lifestyle until freshman year of college where he dormed with other young college students. Upon returning home for the summer, he asked his parents if he could live off campus and share an apartment with my son and several others. The costs of living there were cheaper than if he chose to live on-campus, but even so, his parents did not allow that. They warned him that if he decided to move out, then he would no longer receive support from them. They kicked him out of their home shortly after. Kevin sought help from his friends. He stayed with a local college friend, her mother, and her sister for a few days. Then he spent another week living in a homeless shelter in Atlanta, GA. Unable to find a job or secure a permanent residence, he returned home to live with his parents. Needless to say, he did not feel safe there and continued searching for another place to stay. I couldn't bare this kid living on the streets, so my husband and I drove from our country (nice word for double wide) home to Atlanta and brought him over to live with us for the summer.

I didn't realize the extent of Kevin’s issues at home until getting to know him better. He suffered from depression, emotional abuse, and verbal threats under the control of his parents. He mentioned having suicidal thoughts in the past. Unfortunately, depression and mental illnesses are very foreign to his parents, and they insist in knowing what's best for him and his future. They said he cannot go to school and worry about his mental health and well-being. Kevin chose his mental health and safety over the opportunity to go to college. We would like to help him continue following his aspirations. However, we are struggling to pay for our son’s college and cannot help Kevin without going into massive debt. His scholarships aren't enough to cover his tuition, and he will lose those scholarships if he does not enroll full time. We don't want him to face an even bigger burden. I am asking for whatever you can spare to help Kevin to fulfill his dreams.