BELLOWS FALLS — Alexis Harris, 21, of Bellows Falls has been awarded the Youth of the Year Award by the Vermont Youth Development Program and the Vermont Coalition of Runaway & Homeless Youth Programs, two state entities that work with community organizations such as Youth Services that serve young people in the state.
The award was given this year to five young people in Vermont who have transformed their lives in positive ways and given back to their communities while demonstrating resilience.
According to a news release, Michelle Sacco, Alexis Harris' case manager at Youth Services, said that in five years her client has gone from being an angry, 16-year-old homeless teenager with very little support to being a 21-year-old woman with a 3-year-old daughter who works every day to help others in need.
“If someone needs help, Alexis is the first one to drop everything to be there for them, including employers,” said Sacco, who nominated Harris for the award. “Alexis was working two jobs, six days a week, often 12-14 hour days because she is not only a reliable, responsible, and committee employee,” Sacco said, “but she wants to take care of herself and her daughter without any assistance!”
In Bellows Falls, Harris performed myriad jobs to help those who come to the Drop-In Center, including looking for assistance with applying for housing and helping with childcare, Reach UP, transportation, and Medicaid, and filling the food shelves.
According to Sacco, Harris started as a volunteer and was recruited to fill a staff position because of her compassion and her commitment to the people she serves.
In her nomination, Sacco recalled last year when Harris became a court-appointed guardian to a 17-year old girl who was facing serious drug charges.
Harris took the girl in, gave her a home, made sure she made her court appointments, went to school, met with DCF and probation, got a job, had food and clothing and necessities, and stayed away from drugs and alcohol, according to Sacco.
“This now 18-year-old is successful in large part from the love and care and commitment of a remarkable young woman who selflessly gave up her home, her time, and often her sanity to be sure this young woman could be successful and safe,” Sacco said.
This winter Harris came full circle, Sacco said, serving as a Resident Advisor for Youth Services' Shelter in Bellows Falls, in an unpaid, live-in position that deals with emergencies and day-to-day issues that arise with the shelter's population of homeless youth.