PHOENIX — Typical childhood pictures like trips to Disneyland, hikes with family and selfies with mom may seen normal for some but Destinee Cunningham says it's a dream come true.
“Having the family I have now has really shown that I couldn’t have asked for anyone better,” said Cunningham.
At just four years old, Cunningham found herself in foster care, taken from parents who struggled to stay out of jail. A traumatizing experience to say the least.
“If I stayed where I was, I probably wouldn’t have gone to college, I probably wouldn’t have gone to high school,” said Cunningham.
But thanks to a woman named Stephanie Cunningham, she landed in a loving home that allowed her to achieve both. Adopted at seven, the former foster youth’s life has now come full circle.
“I just love being able to help the kids that need it,” said Cunningham.
Cunningham works as a Successful Transition to Adulthood Navigator for Arizona’s Children Association, the largest foster care provider in the state. Cunningham’s job is to help local foster teens prepare for their future.
“I help them a lot with bank accounts, taxes, I help them with education stuff if that’s what they’re looking for, whether that be trade school or secondary education like college,” said Cunningham.
What makes these relationships so successful is their shared experiences. A special bond of trust only they can share.
“Being in foster care is such a unique experience, a lot of people who haven’t been in it wouldn’t be able to understand what it’s like,” said Connor Shank.
A combination of factors at home led Shank to foster care. Now 19, he’s dreaming bigger than ever thanks to the guidance and resourcefulness of Cunningham.
“I just realized that I have a lot more potential in me than what I used to see in myself,” said Shank. “She’s [gone] way above and beyond to help me. She was honest with me at all times too, even when I didn’t want to hear it which I appreciated."
He says she helped him open a bank account, land a job, apply to college, and more importantly, provided a true friendship at a critical time. Shank is now determined to one day become a Pediatric Physician’s assistant.
“I know that she actually cares, and that makes me cared for, it makes me feel like I have support systems, people to reach out to if I was hurting,” said Shank.
“It makes me feel really good, makes me feel like I’m doing something good for the community,” said Cunningham.
A community she tells ABC15 she will continue to serve every step of the way.