Breaking the cycle of homelessness presents significant challenges, but one young woman from Michigan has defied the odds through determination and critical support services.

Rashyah Weatherspoon, 22, recently became the first in her family to graduate from college, earning a degree in social work from Ferris State University.

"I decided to just keep going through this, because I think it's so much more opportunity here for me," Weatherspoon said.

Her path to academic achievement was fraught with obstacles. After moving to Grand Rapids in February for an unpaid internship, Weatherspoon found herself without stable housing.

"I didn't know how I would do it, and, like, it was just a lot of, like, family stuff going on, and I just was, like, living in my car for two weeks trying to, like, keep interning and keep like, like, I'm not making any money," she said.

Weatherspoon soon connected with Covenant House Michigan, an organization dedicated to helping young adults escape homelessness.

"At Covenant House, they allow four months to live without paying and, like, save your money and get your life together. And I've been here for two months," Weatherspoon explained.

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Shelisa Jeffers, her case manager at Covenant House, recognized Weatherspoon's potential immediately.

"Most of the time, when you find an 18- to 24-year-old who is homeless, it's easy to give up, right? It's easy to go back to what you know," Jeffers said.

Jeffers believes that early intervention is crucial in preventing long-term homelessness.

"I look at it, if we could break the cycle by starting here for a person that's motivated, they will be able to get that second chance," she said.

For Weatherspoon, the stability provided by Covenant House has been transformative.

"Stable housing, to me, is just having peace of mind so I can do my job. Because if I was still staying in my car, I probably wouldn't have been able to do what I do," she said.

Those seeking assistance or wishing to support Covenant House Michigan can find more information here.

This story was originally published by Daren Bower with the Scripps News Group in West Michigan.

This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.