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About Us
Doing our best to foster Safety & Connection
We are dedicated to preventing and addressing youth homelessness, trafficking, and exploitation, while keeping hope alive while we keep Hope for Layla.
WV Layla's Hope
About
Who is Layla?
Layla. “Layla Marie Santanello is a daughter, a granddaughter, a sister, a niece, a friend, and a mom. She is full of color and energy, independent from the time she was a little girl. On June 27, 2023, at 21 years old, Layla was last seen in Kingsport, Tennessee. Her family has been searching for her ever since.
How Did Layla’s Hope begin?
When Layla disappeared, her family went looking for help and found almost nothing. No one could tell them where to turn, who to call, or what came next. Out of that experience, Layla’s aunt, Stacy Morgan, started Layla’s Hope, so that no other family would have to search alone. What began in East Tennessee is now growing state by state.
Why West Virginia?
Kingsport and Charleston are part of the same Appalachia. Our young people face the same risks: running from homes that aren’t safe, aging out of care with nowhere to go, couch-surfing until the couches run out. YHM has served young people since 2017, and our founder has worked with at-risk youth since 1991, starting as a teen hotline volunteer.
In 2026, YHM became the West Virginia chapter of Layla’s Hope, carrying Layla’s name into the communities of Charleston and Kanawha County.
WV Mission
Young people and families affected by running away, homelessness, exploitation, and trafficking can access the support, resources, and connections they need so they are never alone.
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