HOME - MYA WILSON
HOME - MYA WILSON
Home, by definition, is the physical place where one lives… But “home” means so much more than that.
Home should also be an enjoyable, happy place where you can live, laugh and learn. It’s somewhere where you’re loved, respected and cared for.
That’s how 17-year-old Mya Wilson describes The Salvation Army of Memphis & the Mid-South — a place she called her “home” for a while.
“I was the first baby born at the Purdue Corps,” Mya says.
Mya’s mother — while pregnant with her — was battling a drug addiction. But The Salvation Army was able to help both mom and daughter with wrap-around services designed to break the pattern of generational poverty.
“The Salvation Army made a big impact on my life,” Mya says. “I’d taken some wrong paths over the years, but the great staff helped me get back on track. They never made me feel like a stranger. I could always be myself, just feel like a regular kid.”
Keeping kids like Mya engaged in a safe, loving environment during the long summer months is an important part of The Salvation Army’s Christ-centered mission. The goal is to provide kids like Mya the opportunity to have an impactful summer experience filled with activities like sports, music and art, while also learning skills needed to prepare them for the next school year and minimize summer learning loss.
Of course, a full stomach helps, so The Salvation Army provides nutritious meals during many programs as well as food boxes.
“I have so many great summer memories: petting zoos, water slides, Pizza Day, lots of fun activities… but also learning experiences doing English and math work to keep our brains working during the summer,” Mya says.
These learning activities are critically important for Mya and her peers, given that on average, two months of reading skills are lost over the summer.
Your support of The Salvation Army makes it possible for Mya and others to stay safe, engaged and full.
“When you have nowhere else to turn, there’s always The Salvation Army,” Mya says. “They always make you feel like you’re home. Thank you!”