Every Child’s Hope Former Resident Turns Donor to Say Thank You

“God blessed me,” says Kayla Scott. She is talking about both her time at Every Child’s Hope (ECH) in St. Louis and her ability to become a donor.

Scott entered ECH’s residential treatment program at age 9. Her stay at ECH was expected to be six months, but she ended up spending three years in ECH’s care.

“I had a lot of anger,” she says. “The staff was terrific. My therapist — Ms. Stephanie — helped me address what I was feeling.”

After Scott’s initial stay at ECH, she returned at age 19 to enter its Steppingstone transitional living program. She remembered the care she had received and knew where to turn when she needed help again.

“Mr. Garrett was a wonderful mentor,” Scott says. “I learned so much about being on my own and starting my life. Ms. Lake helped me enroll in college.”

Today, Scott has started her own cleaning business, with residential and commercial clients throughout the St. Louis area. Giving back to ECH is of utmost importance to her. Why? “I told myself that if I ever had means, I would pay back the kindness given to me,” she says. As a child, she adds, especially for the ECH community, “I didn’t miss out on having fun.”

This past summer, Scott and her fiancé were married. Her mentor, Mr. Garrett, who recently retired from ECH’s Steppingstone program, walked Kayla down the aisle on her wedding day.

“Everything I’ve learned has a root in ECH,” says Kayla.