“A Dream Apartment, A Real Future”: Christelle’s Story
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Just two years ago, Christelle’s life looked very different. She was living out of her car, couch surfing to stay warm through the freezing Rhode Island winter. She didn’t know what her future would hold—only that she needed stability and someone who believed in her.
“My life was chaotic and all over the place,” she remembers. “It was the toughest time of my life. I felt like I had nobody—I was alone.”
That changed when she found Foster Forward.
Christelle’s first step was joining the Works Wonders program, where she received job readiness support and began training to become a certified nursing assistant (CNA). For someone who needed immediate stability, it was a crucial first milestone.
“I needed a job—that was the first thing I wanted to focus on,” she said. But she didn’t stop there. Soon, she was connected to housing resources, barrier assistance, and financial coaching through the ASPIRE program. These wraparound supports helped her build momentum in every part of her life.
Then came a life-changing opportunity: a chance to move into one of three apartments at Riverside Square set aside specifically for youth aging out of foster care. The 16-unit development, created in partnership with ONE Neighborhood Builders, marked a major milestone in Foster Forward’s long-term housing efforts—and Christelle would become one of its first tenants.
“It was surreal,” she says. “I came back from flight attendant training, and my whole apartment was furnished—new bedroom sets, couches, a dining room table, towels… even food in the fridge before I moved in.”
That extraordinary move-in experience was made possible through the generosity of Bob’s Discount Furniture, who allowed Christelle and the other tenants to select their own furniture, and the New England Patriots Foundation, who supplied cookware, cleaning supplies, pantry staples, and more. On move-in day, Patriots players even showed up to help deliver the donations and arrange the items in their new homes.
“It was one of those moments—pinch me, am I dreaming? I couldn’t believe how much support I had,” Christelle said. “It definitely made my life—for real.”
Today, Christelle still lives at Riverside Square and continues working in the healthcare field using her CNA certification. Though she’s made enormous progress, she hasn’t done it alone. She continues to receive case management support from her Foster Forward caseworker, Lindsay, who helps her navigate challenges, maintain her housing voucher, and stay on track financially.
“Lindsay is always a call away,” Christelle says. “Whatever I’m going through—if I just feel like it’s too much—I’ll call her, and she’ll have answers.”
That kind of support, Christelle says, is what helped her believe in her future again.
“I feel like I can do anything now,” she says. “Just having supportive people by your side—it gives you a backbone. It’s good to know that when life is life-ing, you’ve got people to go to.”
And in just two years, Christelle says she’s accomplished more than she thought possible.
“It honestly feels like a lifetime because of how much we’ve done together—Works Wonders, housing, ASPIRE. I can’t believe it’s only been two years.”
Now living in what she calls her dream apartment, Christelle wants other youth in foster care to have the same chance she did—and she hopes supporters understand just how powerful their impact can be.
“Before Foster Forward, I was alive… but I wasn’t living,” she says. “Supporting Foster Forward gives kids something to look forward to. It gives them hope. Sometimes, it even gives them something to live for.”
