Graduate Spotlight: Marcus Stubbs, Louisville Family Housing Services

Marcus shared a photo from his trip to South Africa demonstrating his Volunteers of America pride.

Marcus Stubbs, a graduate of our Louisville Family Housing Services program and the 2015 Power of 1 Breakfast Keynote Speaker, traveled to South Africa this June for a study abroad program with Western Kentucky University. His time spent in South Africa was an amazing experience and was made possible through generous donations from our community.

Looking at what Marcus has achieved and the bright future ahead of him, you probably wouldn't guess that he and his family were once homeless. As you may have heard at the Power of 1 Breakfast last year, as a senior at Waggener High School, Marcus was living in our Louisville Family Housing Services with his mother and three siblings. Marcus and his family came to Volunteers of America after his mother struggled to make ends meet, despite working hard at a job she loved as a church administrator. Like so many of the families we serve, his mother could not pay rent on top of their family's other living expenses on her single-income salary. With the support Marcus and his family received at Louisville Family Housing Services, they were able to achieve self-sufficiency and move into affordable, stable housing.

Now, five years later, Marcus will graduate from WKU in December and is currently applying to graduate programs to pursue a Master's Degree in Higher Education Administration. That's not all Marcus has on his plate. He is working on a book that will tell the story of his triumph from homeless teenager to college student and leader. Marcus plans to tell his story in hopes of inspiring other youth to civically engage and be part of community solutions. To follow Marcus on this journey read his blog here.

We are so proud of Marcus - he is the embodiment of the long-term impact our programs can have on on the families and children we serve. To read more about Marcus and his study abroad adventure and plans for the future, check out his website at stubbsm12.wix.com/mcstubbs.