Jamillah Williams is a force to be reckoned with. She is a warm, capable person — a mom, a wellness clinician, a social worker for an arts and trauma center that serves at-risk youth, and a student on her way to getting a doctorate in social work. 

But at 18, her life was headed in a very different direction. “I was sleeping in Penn Station,” she says. “I got placed in multiple foster homes, but I didn’t like the way I was being treated, so I used to run away and hope for the worst to happen to me.” At the time, she was also pregnant.  

One day, Jamillah got a phone call from a former social worker, urging her to check out Covenant House, a Comic Relief grantee partner that supports young people facing homelessness. Since it was only a short walk away, she went to take a look — a snap decision that led her to where she is now. “Without Covenant House, I don’t think I would be the mom or person I am today,” she says.

Watch Jamillah's story.

Today, the number of young moms like Jamillah who are experiencing homelessness is at an all-time high¹. Lack of affordable housing, economic instability, and disappearing safety nets have all contributed to a growing crisis.

With support from Covenant House, Jamillah was able to go from being entirely alone to being surrounded by caring professionals and support, both for her and her unborn baby. She was able to access trauma-informed care, parenting and life skills classes, mental health support, job training, and, most importantly, a community. “The people who are there actually care,” she shared.

This comprehensive care and stability set the foundation for Jamillah to build a bright future. “I was able to find housing, and I will never forget the day I walked out of here with $1800 saved. I went back to school. I got every degree. Right now, I’m working on my Doctorate of Social Work and am expected to graduate in June 2026.”

This is the impact of Comic Relief. It’s not just Jamillah’s life or her son’s life that are changed — it’s every person she’ll impact as a social worker.