'Hopefully, one day, every community will have a Project Legacy'

Dear Project Legacy Supporters,

My Name is Elijah Norris-Holliday, an alumni of Project Legacy. I am writing this letter today in hopes to gain your support in assisting a program that has changed my life, and I mean that quite literally. 

I will get into my story shortly, but first I would like to talk a little about what Project Legacy is, who they serve, and the impact this community has had on mine and other young adults' lives. 

As a resident of Saint Paul, I am an example of how far Project Legacy’s support reaches. Project Legacy has a multi-faceted approach to supporting youth, emphasizing sobriety, rehabilitation, support circles, and self-growth opportunities. Beyond those resources, Project Legacy helps students who may be struggling with paying rent, finding employment, affording tutors, or any other obstacles that would prevent young people from being great. 

I turned 24 years old on Friday, March 13th, and honestly, I am surprised I made it this far. 

Not in the sense that I’m still alive, but the fact that I am one year away from graduating with my Master’s degree, have an apartment and reliable transportation. 

Seemingly ordinary accomplishments for a young person, but for me, the attainment of those “normal” accomplishments were extremely difficult to acquire. At times in my life, I struggled with substance abuse, homelessness, and a plethora of mental health issues that went unaddressed for years. 

Shortly after joining Project Legacy, I began to notice a lot of positive changes, and I began to evolve into a productive member of society. I am proud to say that I no longer struggle with substance abuse, my mental health has improved significantly, and I am one year away from graduating with a Master’s degree.

Today, I am blessed to be a part of a community that invests in my growth and is there to support me every step of the way in this journey we call life. Without this support, I’m not sure where I would be right now, but I do know where I wouldn’t be. 

I wouldn’t be working as an intern with the Minnesota House of Representatives. I wouldn’t have my apartment. I wouldn’t be enrolled in graduate school.

I know there are also a lot of students who are involved in Project Legacy who can attest to this. I am grateful to be a part of this program, and I wish we could support more youth within our community. Hopefully, one day, every community will have a Project Legacy. 

Thank you for supporting us,


Elijah Norris-Holliday