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Renee C. Byer — rbyer@sacbee.com Muhammad Haqq, 20, packs his belongings to place in storage on April 30, 2013. Having lived at Adolfo for two years, he was packing to temporarily live with friends in an apartment. The Laverne Adolfo program provides 50 college-dorm style apartments on the former Mather Air Force Base. Classes and counseling help participants with education, employment and mental health. The two year program is run by Volunteers of America.

Renee C. Byer — rbyer@sacbee.com Muhammad packs his ties. "I don't want to loose everything I've worked so hard to get," explained Haqq.

Renee C. Byer — rbyer@sacbee.com Muhammad moved into the same room that had been assigned to his brother who left the Laverne Adolfo center before his two-year term was completed.

Renee C. Byer — rbyer@sacbee.com Facing many obstacles, Muhammad recently exhausted his two years at Adolfo, and a week before leaving he wasn't sure where he was going to live before he found friends with an apartment.

Renee C. Byer — rbyer@sacbee.com Muhammad carries his mattress, one of the few things he will take to a friend's apartment. He is looking for a second job and plans to return to community college, where he previously took some classes.

Renee C. Byer — rbyer@sacbee.com Muhammad carries his clothing as he moves to a friend's apartment.

Renee C. Byer — rbyer@sacbee.com With a daughter's birth due in September, Muhammad hopes to be able to give her a better life then what he had in the foster care system.

Renee C. Byer — rbyer@sacbee.com Muhammad proudly shows off an ultrasound photo of his daughter, whom is due in September.

Renee C. Byer — rbyer@sacbee.com Muhammad proudly displays his high school graduation cap and gown and the artwork of a tiger he made in seventh grade.

Renee C. Byer — rbyer@sacbee.com Muhammad works 20 hours a week at McDonalds and attends church at Lakeside.

Renee C. Byer — rbyer@sacbee.com Muhammad leaves for his job at McDonalds. He has taken all the classes provided at Laverne Adolfo program and now worries about how he will provide for himself after his departure.

RenÃ©e C. Byer — rbyer@sacbee.com Willis Mucelroy, 20, came to the Laverne Adolfo center from Fresno, Calif. over a month ago. "I thought I'd be in a GED program by now," said Mucelroy, who is still waiting to get a replacement ID and Social Security card. Although he has two new suits, he doesn't have money and says it's difficult to apply for a job or his GED without identification. He was told it could take several months to get an ID card.

Renee C. Byer — rbyer@sacbee.com Willis, left, is the only student in attendance at a critical thinking class facilitated by Anthony Maiden, far right and an intern, center, on April 25, 2013. By the time he left foster care for good, he says he had lived in 30 foster homes across the Central Valley. Homeless, he was living behind a south Sacramento community center earlier this year. He has been at the Adolfo transitional housing for a month.

Renee C. Byer — rbyer@sacbee.com Anthony Maiden, facilitator and author of a critical thinking class, teaches at the Laverne Adolfo center on April 25, 2013. Getting students out of destructive ways of thinking is one of the most important goals at Adolfo he says. "If you're in the survival mode of thinking, you're going to do whatever works to get what you need ÐÊsuch as act out to get attention," he said.

Renee C. Byer — rbyer@sacbee.com Willis, left and Isaac Brown, 20, and his son King Da'Shawn, 9 months-old, and Angelia McGee, 20, across the table, attend a Jump Start 21, a pre-employment workshop sponsored by the Sacramento Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce at the Laverne Adolfo center on April 25, 2013 on the former Mather Air Force Base.

Renee C. Byer — rbyer@sacbee.com Isaac Brown, 20, brings his son King Da'Shawn, to Jump Start 21, a pre-employment workshop. The birth of his son nine months ago convinced him to enter Adolfo, Brown said. He realizes the importance of being a father and is thankful for the program.

Renee C. Byer — rbyer@sacbee.com Isaac pulls his son in a stroller across the campus of the Laverne Adolfo center. "I need to be here to begin to make a life for myself," Brown said. "I need him to have a father. I didn't have one."

Renee C. Byer — rbyer@sacbee.com Cradling his son, King, Isaac waits gets a ride at the Laverne Adolfo center from Volunteers of America to meet with his social worker on April 25, 2013. He shares custody with the boy's mother and now has an apartment in which to take care of him.