A Place Called Home: A Memoir

This memoir that ＂will take your breath away＂ chronicles a harrowing journey through homelessness and poverty in New York City, followed by a turbulent experience in foster care (Jeanette Walls, New York Times bestselling author of The Glass Castle).

This powerful memoir exposes the harsh realities faced by countless children living in poverty and highlights Ambroz’s extraordinary resilience and transformation. As young children, David and his siblings should have been focused on school, but instead they wandered the streets searching for shelter, food, and warmth while their mother struggled with mental illness. When David is placed into foster care, he initially sees it as a beacon of hope, only to find that it brings its own set of dangers. Shuffled between abusive homes and enduring the cruelty of those who rejected him for his emerging sexuality, David’s experience paints a stark picture of systemic failure. Amid the turmoil, David found refuge and hope in libraries, schools, and the kindness of a few compassionate adults. His unyielding determination and resilience earned him a scholarship to Vassar College, marking the beginning of his escape from poverty. He later graduated from UCLA Law with a mission to reform laws impacting children in poverty.

A Place Called Home is a poignant journey from despair to hope. It is both a gripping personal story and a compelling call to action, urging readers to move beyond sympathy and advocate for meaningful change.

David Ambroz is a national poverty and child welfare expert and advocate. He was recognized by President Obama as an American Champion of Change. He currently serves as the Head of Community Engagement (West) for Amazon. Previously he led Corporate Social Responsibility for Walt Disney Television, and served as the President of the Los Angeles City Planning Commission, and as a California Child Welfare Councilmember. After growing up homeless and then in foster care, he graduated from Vassar and later from UCLA School of Law (J.D.). He is a foster dad and lives in Los Angeles, CA.