Helping Homeless Students 'Right Now'

Starting Right Now, which started out of Sokolik’s New Tampa home, takes homeless high school students, or families that are struggling, and helps them transition from their current state to something more positive through opportunities such as college or trade schools. 

Patch: How did you create Starting Right Now?

Sokolik: Eight years ago my husband and I started doing Christmas ‘wish lists’ for less fortunate families, and it grew into something else entirely.

Patch: How many kids are in the program today?

Sokolik:Right now we have 60 kids in the program, and hope to have 90 by next school year, each kid we take on is a huge commitment, though.

Patch: Does Starting Right now have a motto or mission statement?

Sokolik: Our goal and mission statement is 'Ending homelessness one child at a time.'

Patch: What can the community do to lend a hand to Starting Right Now?

Sokolik: There are a ton of things the community can do to help. We are always looking for mentors for the kids (there are currently 30 volunteer mentors who speak with the kids on a daily basis). We are always looking for employers who are willing to hire students for jobs, and we look at apartment complexes to find homes for them.

Patch: What makes you different from other nonprofit organizations? 

Sokolik: We don’t offer students a hand out. We’re a hand up. We don’t just give a kid a lump sum of money and give them the chance to blow it. We stick with them for at least 18 months, and through their first year of college (or trade school).  We help the students get established and we work with them.

Patch: Is there anything you would like the community to know about Starting Right Now that we do not already know?

Sokolik: We’re the one organization that will change someone’s life entirely. There is a chance with many of these kids that they get on the wrong path, or a path of crime. This way we prevent that. 

On the Web: www.startingrightnow.org