Nija Williams (Covenant House youth) on personal experience and graduating top 8%
Nija Williams, a 17-year-old Covenant House youth ambassador, shares she was kicked out by her mother and found support at Covenant House, which helped her return to school and graduate in the top 8% of her class. She advocates for raising bed rates to $80,000, including youth in voucher design, and restoring guaranteed income funding.
Good afternoon, my name is Nyjah and I'm 17 years old.
I came to Covenant House due to constant issues at home with my mother and ultimately she ended up kicking me out of my home.
While I was at Covenant House, intake was pretty easy for me.
I was hysterical because I was so nervous that my mom was coming to get me.
Because usually, like, kicking me out was usually, like, a punishment.
She would just have me standing by the elevator until she'd just be like, come on.
But this time, I left for real.
When I came to Covenant House,
First thing they did ask me was, are you hungry?
You know what I mean?
They asked me how old I was and am I hungry.
I said yes immediately because it was like 12 in the morning.
But, yeah, Covenant House kind of helped me get back into school because during my time and the thing that I experienced, school wasn't, like, my first priority.
So I kind of started slacking, but Covenant House helped me get back into it.
And I just graduated from high school and top 8% of my graduating class.
Congratulations.
Thank you.
You're not supposed to clap, but I'll let y'all clap because that's what we do in here.
But don't go on nobody else's hearing because then you're going to get in trouble.
But we clap for the kids.
Thank you.
And I'm currently a youth ambassador for Covenant House as well as the marketer for home care.
Shelters like Covenant House give youth more than just a bed.
They give us tools and support to reach our goals, whether it's school, career, mental health, or just finding stability.
These are basic human needs.
For young people experiencing homelessness, organizations like Covenant House can make the difference between simply surviving and having the opportunity to move forward.
These programs provide much more than a bed.
They provide...
safety, stability, guidance, and support.
I'm asking the City Council to recognize the real cost of providing these services by raising the bed rate on current DYCD contracts to $80,000 per bed.
I also urge the City to make sure youth are included in the rollout of new city housing vouchers by including youth voices in program design, developing youth-specific outreach materials, and creating clear referral pathways for RHY youth.
I'm also asking that the City Council should reinstate funding for guaranteed income programs that give young people experiencing homelessness the financial resources they need to move towards greater stability.
Covenant House New York Cash with Care program has already demonstrated a very promising outcomes in the short time it has operated.
But continued funding is essential to understand whether these early successes can translate into lasting change.
Thank you.