Kaila Brittney McDonald
AHO Youth Program Advisor
Kaila Brittney McDonald, age 18
Kaila is half Latino and half Caucasian. She grew up in the East Bay in a home atmosphere of drugs, sex and violence. In December 2007 Child Protective Services removed her from her home after she ran away to protect her safety. She was then relocated to Marin County with relatives who were willing to take her in to keep her from being thrown into the Foster Care System or a life on the streets. Facing the new environment and culture left her in shock and feeling financially insecure and she began working 3 jobs. When she found AHO she immediately became involved as an active member of the group as the youth program advisor, writing to government officials about the homeless problem in Marin, and sharing her story with other youth in schools. AHO has guided her to these opportunities and other resources including legal advice from one of AHO's community partners, and marketing training through United Way of the Bay Area. Kaila recently graduated from Tamiscal High School with high honors and is attending UC Berkeley on a full scholarship to pursue her studies in psychology and law. In 2008, Kaila received the prestigious $10,000 National Nordstrom Scholarship Award over 225 other applicants. Kaila has been an active participant of the AHO youth team projects for the past 2 and 1/2 half years.
Click here to read a story from the Redwood Bark about Kaila's struggle with homelessness.