Nurturing Journeys
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About Nurturing Journeys
Leaving foster care can mean facing adulthood without the steady support many young adults receive from family. In Grand Prairie, Texas, Nurturing Journeys provides safe housing and practical support for youth transitioning out of foster care across Texas, including those experiencing housing instability or an immediate housing crisis. A donation helps connect housing with life skills, mentorship, education support, case management, and emotional wellness care as young adults work toward stability and independent adulthood.
Nurturing Journeys is led by founder Catina Thomas, whose own lived experience shapes its approach to supporting youth after foster care. The organization offers housing that can meet young people where they are, from crisis and emergency placement to supervised independent living residences and peer support housing, with trauma-informed care throughout.
Programs
The concrete work this nonprofit runs. Each program may later become a fundable project.
Youth Transitional Living Program
Combines housing with whole-person support for youth transitioning out of foster care, helping them move toward long-term stability.
Crisis Intervention Housing
Provides rapid, short-term safety, stabilization, and access to on-site case management for youth in immediate crisis.
Emergency Placement Housing
Offers short-term emergency housing and stabilization for youth facing urgent housing needs.
Independent Living Residences
Provides structured, supervised housing where youth can build accountability, personal growth, and independent living skills.
Peer Support Housing
Shared homes and community-based settings where peers encourage accountability, personal growth, and mutual respect.
Housing Stability Planning and Case Management
Individualized planning and on-site case management connect housing with education, employment, health care, counseling, and emotional wellness resources.
Life Skills Training
Provides employment readiness, daily living skills, financial literacy, time management, conflict resolution, and personal development support.
Mentorship and Coaching
Includes one-on-one mentoring, group mentorship circles, peer mentoring, life coaching, emotional wellness coaching, goal planning, decision-making support, communication skills coaching, stress management, and career mentorship.
Education Support
Provides GED preparation, college preparation, scholarship application support, career counseling, and educational resource navigation.
Community Resource Coordination
Connects youth with health services, employment resources, education, legal aid, transportation, food, clothing, and other basic needs.
Strategic Partnerships
Coordinates with agencies, landlords, schools, employers, state agencies, nonprofits, and local groups to expand housing, education, employment, and community resources.
Volunteer and Community Engagement
Offers volunteer training, mentor matching, community service projects, youth community events, support group facilitation, resource fairs, advocacy, outreach, and community partnership forums.
About this work
Mission
Nurturing Journeys empowers youth transitioning out of foster care and experiencing housing instability through safe housing, practical life skills, mentorship, emotional wellness support, and trauma-informed, whole-person care.
Who they serve
Youth and young adults transitioning out of foster care in Texas, including those experiencing housing instability, homelessness, or immediate housing crises.
How your donation helps
- Safe and supervised housing costs
- Welcome kits
- Life skills sessions
- Education support
- Mentorship activities
- Emotional wellness support
- Resources for youth experiencing homelessness
Need help?
How someone in need can access Nurturing Journeys’s services.
Youth transitioning out of foster care or facing housing instability can request support through Nurturing Journeys. Housing services include referrals for the Youth Transitional Living Program, Crisis Intervention Housing, Emergency Placement Housing, Independent Living Residences, and Peer Support Housing. People seeking housing, referrals, or guidance can contact the team through the contact page, and the organization states that youth support and housing services are available 24/7, including evenings, weekends, and emergencies.
In their words
“I started Nurturing Journeys because I saw too many young people fall through the cracks. I knew what it felt like to be overlooked and I couldn’t ignore the call to be part of the solution.”, Catina Thomas
Ways to help
Concrete needs and volunteer roles Nurturing Journeys has shared.
Volunteer opportunities
- One-on-one youth mentoring
- Group mentorship circles and peer mentoring
- Volunteer training and orientation
- Community service projects
- Support group facilitation
- Resource fair organization
- Youth community events
- Advocacy and outreach
- Community partnership forums
- Workshop support
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about this nonprofit and how its work happens.
How does Nurturing Journeys combine housing with other support?
Housing comes with practical coaching on budgeting, daily routines, and household responsibilities. Participants can also receive case management, housing stability planning, connections to health care and counseling, emotional wellness resources, education support, and employment guidance.
What life skills can participants learn?
Support can cover budgeting, banking, saving, employment readiness, resumes, job searches, and interview practice. Participants can also work on cooking, cleaning, personal hygiene, home organization, time management, conflict resolution, goal-setting, and emotional resilience.
What types of mentorship are available?
Mentorship may include one-on-one support, group circles, peer mentoring, life coaching, emotional wellness coaching, and goal-setting sessions. Participants can also receive help with decision-making, communication, stress management, self-confidence, and career planning.
What education services are available?
Education support includes GED and college preparation, scholarship application assistance, career counseling, tutoring and study resources, campus support connections, and help navigating education and training pathways.
How can community members volunteer?
After training and orientation, volunteers can serve as mentors, support community service projects, facilitate support groups, organize resource fairs and youth events, assist with workshops, or take part in advocacy, outreach, and community partnership forums.
Similar nonprofits
Other foster care nonprofits in TX.