When Trevor arrived at Ozanam more than 3 years ago, he seemed like a different person - and Ozanam seemed like a different place.

"I remember it was raining the night I arrived," said the boy, who had to ride a long way in the car from his small hometown in Missouri. "For some reason, I thought everything looked really scary. I didn't know if Ozanam would be able to help me."

Trevor knew about fear. Prior to his arrival at Ozanam, he had endured four years of abuse from a family friend. His father was an alcoholic, and his mother was left trying to raise three children. Suffering from extreme guilt and depression, Trevor felt like no one would ever understand him or his feelings.

However, after only a few weeks at Ozanam, he started to share his painful experiences with trusted staff members.

"I felt like people were actually listening to me," he said. "My self-esteem started to grow, and my family issues started to heal. I just felt better."

Throughout his treatment, Ozanam's grief and loss therapy aided his recovery. He found further solace in programs like music and horse therapy.

Three years later, Trevor describes himself as confident and artistic, and he is the first to welcome new kids to campus.

"I tell them that it's not scary at all," he said. "Some people think only bad kids come here, but that's not true. We're mostly good, and we have nowhere else to go. Ozanam give us an opportunity to change."

Today, Trevor looks forward to attending college and becoming a music therapist.