Danielle Pierson spent a dozen years as a ward of the state.

She often felt lost and alone, bouncing through a series of foster homes and institutions.

While dealing with all of that hardship, Pierson had a ray of light came into her life.

It was an advocate appointed by the Marion County juvenile court to represent her interests.

Now, the 25-year-old Indianapolis woman is going to do her part to help kids who were like her.

Pierson is beginning a job with Marion County Child Advocates, the same nonprofit group that provided her with an advocate a decade ago.

She is one of four new employees hired by Child Advocates in a $2 million push to eliminate a list of more than 800 children in the county waiting for advocates