A heart-warming response to a hard-hearted crime.
Last week, KGUN9 showed you how someone stole stockpiles of food from Youth on Their Own.
Youth On Their Own uses this food to keep homeless teens going, as they push past their problems to reach graduation.
Since our story aired, the organization has a new problem, but it's a good one.
How will it store the donations that poured in?
"It's been amazing. People have been walking in the door with food, donations, checks; and it's all types of people, people who themselves don't have much."
There is food in every available space.
On cabinet tops.
In offices.
Youth On Their Own helps 1600 students graduate, so the need is always there.
Yousif Veso is one of those students. He is from Iraqi Kurdestan.
After a cousin had died in an accident in Tucson, his family moved to Nebraska but he stayed here so Youth on Their Own, or YOTO could help him, graduate.
"I learned English actually in two years. I have been here like three years, and I stayed here because of YOTO (Youth On Their Own). My counselor, her name is Anna Conway, and she told me that YOTO would help me stay here, so I stayed here, and I'm graduating."
And for students, there's a lesson in what happened here: that when bad people strike, good people step up and strike back.
If you’d like to help, here’s how to reach Youth on Their Own:
Youth On Their Own Offices
1660 N. Alvernon Way – Tucson, Arizona 85712
Phone: 866.496.8612
Hours: Monday – Friday, 9AM – 5PM
