Monica, 18 years old

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Monica first entered the foster care system at the age of six, and she believed she had found her forever home when she was adopted a few years later. Unfortunately, she suffered further abuse and trauma at the hands of her adoptive parent, leading to her return to the foster care system as a teenager. Over the years, Monica has moved between various homes, living in more than a dozen different foster placements. Despite these challenges, she demonstrates remarkable resilience and possesses a warm, loving nature. Monica expresses her feelings through art and has kept many of her creations throughout her time in and out of the system. She also loves to cook and has developed her skills by watching online cooking videos, often preparing meals for others in the foster homes she has lived in. Now an adult, Monica finds herself on her own, without any family connections, and is trying to create a sense of home in her very first apartment. She experiences a mix of excitement about her newfound independence and loneliness from her lack of permanent relationships.

Monica's rented apartment is sparsely furnished. Aside from a small dresser for her clothes, most of her belongings are stored in cardboard boxes and contractor bags as she saves up for storage containers. Monica has always dreamed of having a vanity desk or makeup table—a piece of furniture that will help her feel grown-up and offer a touch of luxury. Owning this furniture will make the daunting transition into adulthood a bit more reassuring, as she works to make her first apartment feel like her own.