A tragic event led to a “blessing in disguise” for Youth Dolphin Award winner Sabrina Carey. At 14 years of age, as an eighth grader, Carey lost everything, including her beloved family dog Sugar. That’s when, four-and-a-half years ago, her house burned down and she and her family were left homeless.
Within weeks of her house fire, Carey started helping the homeless in Malibu and Mexico, where she delivered supplies to families living in cardboard boxes. She said she could empathize since her own community helped her and her family to find housing and rebuild their lives following their personal tragedy.
“It really made a difference after my house burned down. I wanted to help people, especially the homeless,” the Malibu High senior said. Carey learned of The Hope Mill Foundation. “I thought it would be a good opportunity to incorporate that into the Torch Club at the Boys and Girls Club at Malibu High School,” she said. The foundation collects and delivers care packages to those in need. Carey is in charge of gathering the donations and delivering whatever Hope Mill is in need of—be it canned goods to wash cloths. She says this allows her “the opportunity to pay it forward.”
Until her family home was rebuilt, Carey described the feeling of being without a home “unsettling.” She added, “You don’t really know where you’re going.”
Following graduation in the spring, Carey will be going off to college. She’s been accepted into a few schools and is awaiting word from others. Carey ideally would like to stay in California, but live away from her Malibu “home” for a while at school.