When Miyah Monk of Minneapolis was about 10 years old, the state removed her from the care of her mother and placed her in a foster home.
The family provided for her basic needs, but Monk says they gave her little else. During high school, she worked part time jobs so she could buy herself food and clothing. When she turned 18 and left the foster home, Monk was briefly unhoused until she could find her own place.
Monk, now 23, is trying to build a life for herself. She’s been working off and on and is planning to go back to school in the fall. She also wants to find better housing.
She said something that really helped her as she transitioned out of foster care toward self sufficiency was the federal supplemental nutrition program, known as SNAP…