It's estimated that more than a third of Milwaukee's children live below the poverty line. Many teens and young adults are homeless.
But one good Samaritan is reaching out to young people with nowhere to go.
Pastor Cindy Neeley is a friend to strangers. So much so that she was moved to help young adults she meets on the streets.
"I asked them if they was homeless they said yeah. I told them your're not homeless anymore!" she said.
Neeley found 20-year-old Jasmine Wallace with her brothers and helped them find food and shelter. Jasmine's father is dead and she does not know where her mother is. She's determine to stay close to her brothers.
"I've always been told, the family that prays together stays together. Me and my brothers, we're the only ones we got We going to be there for each other. That's why I'm happy this lady is helping us out!" Wallace said.
Neeley's heart hurts every time she meets homeless young adults.
"If they're out there on the street and they're not being taught we're going to see what we're seeing now because they've been put out on the street!" Neeley said.
Neeley knows that for many guardians it's about money.
"A lot of them are coming from the foster care system, and when they stop getting a check they put the kids out there," she said.
The Pastor is convinced that most of the teens and young adults on the streets are good kids who just need love. It's a sad reality that makes her emotional.
"They're kids, these are babies out here, ya'll come on!" she demands in an exasperated voice. "It hurts it hurts," she said.
But thanks to her compassion, a group of homeless young adults now have place to stay. They also have hope for the future and renewed faith.
"My message for the young kids on the street, Don't give up! Just keep praying and find somebody willing to help you," Wallace said.
Her brother DeAngelo agrees and smiles as he said, "I'm going to college. I'll figure out something."
Neeley said, "They need somebody. You can't just keep walking away from our future. They are our future!"
