DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) —  Aliyah Houston, someone who has been in and out of foster care, knows how much work it takes to close a case for a child.
"So me, having a lot of run ins and being misunderstood a lot, it gave that kind of scope into what's really going on," explained Houston. "How can I personally he helped? How can I be lifted up? How can I reach my goals and not let something like foster care taint my future?"
As a child, Houston was assisted by Macon County CASA. The organization provides court-appointed volunteers to advocate for the abused, neglected, and/or dependent children who are involved in the Macon County juvenile court system.
Houston used the lessons learned from her difficult upbringing to be an inspiration to those in need. She's currently attending Millikin University in Decatur.
"A lot of people sometimes see you as a charity case, but honestly, to me, like its something so different, like it was a powerful thing that I went through that just allowed me to want to so much for the community," said Houston.
She's a big sister to many of her siblings, and she wants to make them proud.
"You just have to look at the bigger picture. I have 11 brothers and sisters so, I want to be great for them."
Houston refuses to let her past define her.
"Nobody has a blueprint of what the perfect life looks like or what it means to be the best," said Houston. "You're doing it first."
Macon County CASA is always looking for volunteers. Read more about volunteering here.
The organization is also hosting a Home for the Holidays Fundraising Gala. All proceeds from the event will benefit Macon County CASA’s mission.
For more information about the Gala, click here.
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