Dignity Partner Series: Holston Home Youth Head to the Beach, Dignity in Hand

Almost all the youth arrive at Holston Home with their belongings in trash bags. So, they don’t have a suitcase or a weekend bag for a trip that teenagers typically have. We love to provide new experiences for our youth and a sense of family. It is important that they feel like a normal teenager instead of a child from a group home.

One of the ways we do this is to go on family vacations. This year, there was a lot of excitement as we packed up the vans and children climbed in with their My Bag My Story bags slung over their shoulders. We left together as a whole group, heading toward something several of them had never experienced before: a trip to the beach.

For several, it was their very first time seeing the ocean. For others, it was the first time arriving with everything they needed to enjoy it. Each child carried a My Bag My Story bag filled with their favorite things—towels, swimsuits, snacks, water bottles, sunscreen, and maybe even a favorite book or stuffed toy.

On the beach, they ran, laughed, played in the waves, and rested under the sun. They took pride in their nice duffel bags and backpacks that were just the right size for a few days at the beach! They wrote a new chapter in their story filled with a lot of special memories.  

My Bag, My Story—and now, their story, too.

*Article provided by Holston Home