Antoine needed a course correction. Football had sustained him through high school and into college. But as he thought about his future, he needed a different plan. With no family to turn to, Antoine found the support he needed through Great Expectations.

To the casual observer, Antoine was doing fine. Despite his time in foster care, he’d grown into a quiet and composed young man. A former all-state football player, he’d even signed to play for a Division III college. Below the surface, however, Antoine was struggling. “I was at that school to play football and by my sophomore year I knew that wasn’t right for me,” says Antoine. “Back in Charlottesville I saw lots of people who were struggling for basic things like food and shelter. I realized that I wanted to go into business to make a difference in my community. The problem was I had no idea how to do it.”

Together with Great Expectations Coach Sarah Groome, Antoine began working on a plan. He enrolled at Piedmont Virginia Community College where he could begin developing general skills while working a job to support himself. “I didn’t understand how the academic system worked and it was hard for me to see how each step leads to the next, but Coach Sarah helped me map it out,” explains Antoine.  “All of a sudden, I am having these thoughts about the future that I’d never had before. Lots of people never really take advantage of their blessings to give back to those who need help. That’s not going to be me.”