After a violent argument with his mother, 18-year-old Antonio was forced to leave his home. With nowhere to turn, he packed his belongings in a backpack and trash bag and boarded a public bus.
The bus driver took Antonio to the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth, a shelter for youth experiencing homelessness in Las Vegas. There he met our Nevada Children’s Health Project (NCHP) mobile medical team.
The NCHP mobile medical program was exactly what Anotonio needed as he tried to manage a life-threatening health condition without a home, medical insurance or money to pay for care. Antonio has type 1 diabetes and needs to take insulin to manage his blood sugar levels. If untreated, it can cause kidney disease, nerve damage and even death.
When Antonio first visited the mobile clinic, he was sharing his insulin with others — risking his own health. “I shared my insulin because I didn’t want anybody to worry about going to the hospital and I didn’t want them to … have a hard time not knowing how they would pay,” he says.
He was in and out of the hospital constantly, but with support from our donors, the NCHP team provided Antonio with needed care, including life-saving insulin. At the same time, the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth made sure he had access to mental health services, support to finish high school and job skills training. Today, Antonio is employed and has his own apartment.
Antonio’s experience with the NCHP has had a lasting impact. He is now a program ambassador, working to help others transition out of shelters and preventing homeless youth from returning to the streets. He has even advocated for the homeless in Congress. He is an ally, helping to connect other homeless youth to our services.
