Owner of Empower Youth Homes, Alyssa Phillips On Helping Misplaced Teens Obtain Success and Have a Promising Future

In 2021 the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services data reported that the number of children without placement in the Texas foster care system per month has increased by more than 1,100% since October 2019. Teen mother now the owner of Empower Youth Homes, Alyssa Phillips is on a mission to help misplaced teens in her community obtain success and have a promising future. Her inspiring and impactful work at the Residential Treatment Center has empowered countless teens to reach their full potential.

We are honored to spotlight such a selfless woman who is walking in her purpose of giving back to the younger generation, their parents, and their families.

Tell me a little about yourself (i.e., where you are from, currently live, etc.)

Alyssa: I was born in the UK to military parents. I spent most of my adulthood in Maryland working for the National Security Agency with a top-secret clearance — and worked to protect our nation’s most critical and most secret information. I worked in many roles- as an analyst, technical director, and supervisor. I began buying rental property at the age of 19 in 2010- right when the market was still recovering. I purchased several properties for less than $20,000 and completed work on them on my own — going paycheck to paycheck to fix them up.

I currently live in a suburb of Houston, TX. I have five children.

You own a Residential Treatment Center. Tell me about it and why you felt there was a need to have it.

Alyssa: I was a teen mother, and I’m passionate about helping teens along the way. They are our future. And so many are not given the tools necessary to succeed. Sometimes all they need is something to break the cycle they are in… and I want to be that cycle breaker… give them hope and skills to achieve what they desire. Again, the name of the game is EMPOWERING. I want to empower teens to reach full self-actualization and show them how to dream big and achieve.

What was the deciding factor in housing children that are wards of the state?

Alyssa: I’ve always wanted to own a mansion and foster a bunch of kids. Still do, actually. But I figured owning an RTC would help immediately in reducing the number of children who are without placement in Texas. Right now, Texas is in a crisis. Children are sleeping on the floors at the DHHS offices. That breaks my heart. It makes me sick to think that I’m in a position to help these kids out, and I’m living a pretty luxurious lifestyle while there are kids who aren’t getting their basic needs met. I can’t live like that. That’s not human! I have to touch back and help those who may not have been given the same opportunities in life.

What impact would you like the center to make on children in a system that is not always child-friendly?

Alyssa: I want to go above the minimum… of simply sheltering and providing therapeutic treatment. The name of our rtc is Empower Youth Homes because we are empowering kids. We are teaching them how to be business owners, exposing them to career fields outside the normal list of careers, and equipping them with opportunities to learn and be teamed up with someone in that field.

Is there a minimum age requirement for the center? What was the deciding factor in allowing children to remain until the age of 23 (which I think is great)?

Alyssa: No, but we aim for teenagers. If they continue with our programming, they aren’t just stagnant in their lives but actively allowing us to guide them to be better than the status quo.

What would you like the future of the Residential Treatment Center to become?

Alyssa: That they are minimally needed. This country has a terrible system in place as far as social services to parents as it relates to proper parenting etc. If the state would spend the funds they spend on RTC on providing services to the parents — therapy, parenting classes, and life skills — they would be better off, and so would the kiddos.

What is next for you in 2023?

Alyssa: Anything you want to share? Next — we are crowdfunding for that nation’s first Black Culturally Enriched Resort. This will be a resort with overwater bungalows and a town center with Black culture enrichments in the music, food, art, etc.

Get connected on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyssa-phillips-82b54055/