The Guardian of the Gate

This month, as part of Youth Homelessness ACTION Month, we’re lifting up a new storytelling series.

It’s told across five weeks—five true stories from across our federation—that together capture the arc of what Covenant House really means to our young people.

Each week in November, we’ll spotlight one story on our channels, moving through five stages of a young person’s journey:

Intake. Support. Growth. Independence. Community.

It’s a story in five parts. But really, it’s one story—a single thread of courage, care, and transformation that connects every Covenant House.

My name is Derrick.  

For years, I walked a difficult road. Skid row, motel rooms, park benches. At one point, I was 20 years old, homeless, and separated from my mom and sister. They were staying in a women’s shelter after we could no longer afford a motel. 

I was couch-surfing when a friend mentioned Covenant House California. He didn’t know the exact address, just the cross streets. I took the train, got off, and started walking. That’s when I saw the bird. 

The Covenant House logo. A white bird in the sky. 

I said, "That’s got to be it." Seeing that bird changed my life. 

I showed up, got on the waitlist, and two days later, I got the call. 

“We have a bed for you.” 

I dropped everything and came back. I ended up staying at Covenant House California for four years, from 2015 to 2019. I didn’t leave until I had stable housing. 

What I remember most from that time is how they made me feel. I was hurting. I couldn’t provide for myself. But Covenant House made me feel good. It flushed all that pain away. It was like their goal was to block out the outside world. And I swear, they did that. 

Today, I’m back at Covenant House, but not as a resident. I’m the Housing Manager at our new affordable-for-youth housing community. I live in the first apartment on the property. The rest are for young people transitioning out of homelessness, just like I once was. 

This job is more than keys and checklists to me. I personally welcome each resident. I show them how to use the keypad locks on their doors. I hand out A/C remotes. I enforce the no-smoking rule. And when they come through the front gate, I open it from my window. I watch for them, because I know how important it is to feel safe. 

A lot of our residents have so much on their minds. When they come home, they’re not thinking about a gate. That’s why I made it my job to think about it for them. 

I still remember the pressure of rent. Before this job, I was paying $700 a month for a single room I shared with strangers. I was saving as much as I could, but I couldn’t find a place of my own. 

Now I can breathe. I have a steady job, a safe home, and a mission to give back. I can feel happy again without worrying about falling back into homelessness. 

And I don’t just clock in. I offer advice, support, mentorship. When I have more to give, I’ll give financially, too. 

If I could talk to the donors face to face, I’d say this: You’re not wasting your time. You’re not wasting your money. Covenant House is doing what they said they would do. They are ending youth homelessness. And now it’s up to us to go out and grab the opportunity. 

At Covenant House, I’m not just managing a building. 

I’m guarding a future.