When Milwaukee young people face a crisis, they may receive temporary housing or other immediate help. Shontaine Walker wants them to have support after that intervention ends, too. Walker, 40, founded Walking in by Faith Inc., a nonprofit serving young people ages 11 to 24. Its approach is designed to continue beyond crisis response, helping participants connect with services, set goals and develop practical skills for adulthood. Walker said her work is shaped by her own adolescence. Raised mostly by her grandmother while her mother struggled with addiction and her father was frequently incarcerated, she often felt isolated. After her grandmother died, she spent more time at neighborhood youth programs, including Northcott Neighborhood House, 2460 N. 6th St. Adults there and at school helped Walker return to school after she dropped out. Her former teacher, Valerie Benton, said Walker was bright but needed structure. Walker said those mentors believed in her when she did not believe in herself. As an adult, Walker worked in childcare, residential care, crisis stabilization and youth assessment programs, often with young people facing homelessness, substance use, detention, family instability or trauma. She said she became concerned that services could address an immediate emergency without preparing a young person for what came next — such as finding work, managing money, building credit or securing housing. Walker first envisioned Walking in by Faith in 2017. The organization’s three-part model begins with 30 days focused on basic needs and connections to doctors, schools and other services. The next 60 to 90 days center on goals, education, budgeting and practical life skills. After that, the program aims to maintain contact, celebrate milestones and hold participants accountable. Walker describes her role as working alongside young people rather than directing them from a distance. The organization also plans workshops on mental health, trauma, cognitive behavioral strategies and self-care. For Walker, success means more than getting someone through a temporary placement. She wants to see young people graduate, find stable housing and employment, manage their finances and build a future. Walking in by Faith is currently operating without consistent funding, relying on Walker’s relationships and occasional assistance to help young people. She hopes community support will allow the nonprofit to expand its programs and provide more comprehensive, long-term services. “I never made my circumstances be my mark,” Walker said. “Don’t allow your circumstances to be your mark.”