He’d grown used to being overlooked moving through long days of school, responsibility, and uncertainty with the kind of weight no young teen should have to carry. Then one ordinary afternoon, a visiting family asked a simple question that shifted his entire trajectory:

“Are there any children here who need a sponsor?”

Sara Cantú, Back2Back staff, scanned the courtyard where children and young adults played. Her eyes paused on a quiet 14-year-old, newer to the children’s home, doing his best to stay hopeful despite the gaps trauma and scarcity had carved into his story. She nodded toward him and said gently, “He would love a sponsor; let me introduce you.”

What happened next reminded everyone present how quickly a story can turn when someone chooses to step in – and stay.

Today, Josue* is thriving. He loves playing football, is progressing in middle school, and is growing in his felt-safety around adults who truly want to see him succeed. The family who said “yes” to sponsorship over the summer recently sent him a new letter. When the staff handed it to him, his joy was contagious.

“He immediately grabbed a pencil and sat down to write them back,” Sara shared.

This is the power of sponsorship: safe, consistent adults, near or far, who refuse to let a child believe they are forgotten. Sponsorship reinforces belonging, heals cracks in belief systems, and restores pieces of childhood that trauma tried to take.

And right now, many boys and girls like Josue are still waiting for someone to step into their story.

If you’ve ever wondered whether your “yes” could make a real difference, Josue’s story is your answer. A sponsor’s presence does more than provide; it tells a child, You are lovable. You are seen. You are known.

The need is real, the impact is immediate, and the invitation is open: Will you sponsor a child today and become the turning point in their story?