What Jayla Wants for Christmas

September 23, 2026

Home for the holidays was an idea that didn’t mean much to Jayla. In fact, the idea of celebrating Christmas was more or less a foreign one.

Jayla is 14 years old and should have memories of wonderful childhood Christmases. Instead, for years, she and her mother spent Christmas on the streets. Or, if they were especially lucky, in the warmth of a police station or a homeless shelter.

Even before Jayla and her mom were evicted from their apartment, money was too tight for a Christmas tree, presents, or a special meal. The holidays are just another painful reminder of what Jayla never had, and the days spent struggling to get by.

Because when you’re just trying to survive, the holiday season is the last thing on your mind.

Jayla never knew her dad. Her mom never told Jayla anything about him, or even his name, so Jayla had no way of finding him. Her mom struggled with addiction on and off throughout Jayla’s life. Sometimes her mom could clean up enough to get and keep a job, at least for a while. But she would inevitably relapse, and then life fell apart.

The uncertainty surrounding their living situation gave Jayla a lot of anxiety. It was hard not knowing where she was going to sleep each night, and keeping up with schoolwork was almost impossible.

Jayla hated going to school, anyway. She often got teased because of her appearance, because most of her clothes were too small or disheveled. And sometimes she fell asleep in class, which made her teachers think she was lazy or disinterested in learning. Her grades were consistently poor, and nobody ever considered asking her why.

Things got worse after Jayla’s mom’s latest relapse. In the past, her mom would try to keep things together for a while before everything spiraled out of control. But this time, she quickly stopped going to work and would disappear for days at a time.

Jayla and her mom had been staying at a shelter when the staff there noticed that Jayla’s mom wasn’t coming back at night anymore. They were concerned that this 14-year-old girl was alone.

Jayla didn’t want to betray her mom by explaining the depths of her addiction. And she was afraid of what would happen to her if her mom got into some kind of trouble. But she was surprised by what the staff at the shelter had to say.

They didn’t threaten to send her mom to jail or anything like Jayla was fearing. Instead, they told her about a place called Mercy Home. There, Jayla would have a safe, steady place to live where she would receive the support and stability she never had before. They also explained that Mercy Home could connect her mother with resources that would help her get her life back on track as well.

It sounded too good to be true. Jayla couldn’t believe that a place like that even existed, because she had never known anything close to what they were describing. But she was willing to give anything a try if it meant more stability.

Once Jayla moved into Mercy Home, it was a hard transition. She had never spent time around adults she could trust, and she struggled to even look anyone in the eye. She felt like nobody could understand what she had been through. And even though she had always had a difficult relationship with her mother, she worried constantly about her wellbeing.

As Jayla met with her therapist, she slowly began to open up about the stress of her childhood, her fears about her mother, and the ways the lack of stability weighed on her. She was shocked that her therapist was willing to listen, because all her life it felt like nobody ever did.

Getting to know the other girls at Mercy Home also helped Jayla. Hearing their struggles made her feel less alone as she realized she wasn’t the only one who had a hard time.

Mercy Home connected Jayla’s mom to a rehabilitation center so that she can focus on getting well and rebuilding her life. Jayla hopes that one day her mom will be stable enough for her to get an apartment and for the two of them to live together again. But for now, it eases her mind to know that her mom is safe and receiving support.

As Christmas approaches this year, Jayla doesn’t know what to expect. It will be her first holiday in a safe, warm home. When our coworkers asked her what she wanted for Christmas, she was surprised by the question. Nobody had ever asked her that before.

But even though Jayla doesn’t yet know what awaits her this holiday season, friends like you will make it possible for her to have the Christmas she always dreamed of. She will wake up on Christmas morning to presents under the tree and will celebrate with carols and a special meal with her peers at Mercy Home.

Not long ago, Jayla lived a life full of pain and uncertainty. And although we can’t take that pain away, what a privilege it is to give her the holiday season and bright future she deserves.

Please note: Because we care deeply about protecting our children’s privacy, the names and certain identifying details in this story have been changed.