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Lacey Smiley (left) helps Valencia Little search for employment opportunities. Lacey is a case manager and mentor at Volunteers of America (VOA) Alaska in Anchorage. Valencia Little's journey from a troubled childhood to finding her path via Volunteers of America (VOA) Alaska is a testament to resilience. Growing up in an unstable home, Valencia had to fend for herself. By age 15, she was using meth and in and out of foster care, lost and unhappy. Her turning point came after being caught for car theft, which led her to McLaughlin Youth Center and to VOA's Adolescent Residential Center for Help program. She credits VOA's Transition-Age Youth (TAY) services for guiding her. TAY offers mental health and substance-use services, employment, education assistance and housing support. In 2024, Providence Alaska provided $75,000 in community benefit funds to the program. Providence Alaska Foundation provided an additional $15,000. Valencia's journey mirrors many in Alaska, where a 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey highlighted rising teen depression and suicidal tendencies. VOA's comprehensive approach includes stabilization, crisis management, clinical services and a pathway to self-sufficiency. Valencia is now in Phase 2, the program focusing on maintaining stability through clinical and peer support. Lacey Smiley, Valencia's case manager turned peer mentor, has been a crucial support, sharing similar past struggles. Under Lacey's guidance, Valencia continues to strive toward sobriety despite occasional relapses. She now has a stable job and some pets. VOA's individualized approach and collaborative support system aim to provide vulnerable youth with safe housing and opportunities for employment and education. Lacey remains optimistic about Valencia's potential to break the cycle of trauma and build a fulfilling life. For Valencia, staying connected with Lacey is key, providing empathy and support that make her feel less alone. VOA Alaska helps youth find a brighter future Program enhances lives of Alaska Native Elders Providence Alaska invested $30,000 to the Alaska Native Heritage Center last year to support Alaska Native Elders' mental and physical health through workshops, oral history recordings and cultural connections. The program, which began in spring 2025, includes traditional sewing, weaving and drum-making classes, said Crystalyn Lemieux, Unguwat program manager. "We want to help them reconnect with their culture," Crystalyn stated, highlighting the protective benefits for suicide and substance-use prevention. Crystalyn has received positive feedback, emphasizing that reconnecting with culture benefits both Elders and the broader community, making it a better place to live. Crystalyn Lemieux, Unguwat program manager at the Alaska Native Heritage Center COMMUNITY BENEFIT SNAPSHOT We invest in Alaska's health Total investment in our Alaska communities in 2024 $73 MILLION Caring for our communities has never been more important. To achieve our vision of health for a better world, we work closely with local partners to ensure we address our communities' most pressing needs.

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