Photo: Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group
Ranisha Evans’ adult life started off as a nightmare: At 18, her family was evicted from their home, and with nowhere to go, she ended up sleeping in her car.
At the time, Evans’ mind was on survival. She worked a 2 to 7 a.m. shift at FedEx, and would hang around at the facility after work to use the showers and stay in a safe place. She said it was hard to wake up on time while sleeping in her car, and would frequently oversleep and miss work.
“It was mind-consuming, I had to get over it,” Evans said.
Desperate for a way out, she reached out to Oakland-based nonprofit First Place For Youth per a friend’s recommendation. The nonprofit helps teen foster and homeless youth transition into adulthood through housing programs, job placement and other supportive services.