YMCA of San Diego County’s Post

At Outreach, we know the harsh truth—85% of the youth we serve have been through the foster care system. As the number of homeless youth continues to rise in Marion County, so does this number. It’s a number that demands change. Kyle Williams, our Director of Coaching, emphasizes that at Outreach it’s not just about addressing today’s challenges—it’s about finding long-term solutions and tackling the root causes. Our youth and young adults need more than quick fixes; they need systematic changes to address the deep, systemic issues that have shaped their lives for years. We’re committed to changing the future for these young people. Together, we can reverse this trend and make a real difference in the lives of our youth and young adults in Marion County.  JOIN US IN ENDING YOUTH HOMELESSNESS: https://lnkd.in/e5Tmm4pT

This Homeless Youth Awareness Month, and all year round, let’s pause and reflect on the young lives affected by homelessness lives filled with hope, potential, and resilience that often goes unseen. At Safe Horizon Streetwork Project, we meet these youth where they are, offering more than just shelter – we provide safety, support, and a community that believes in their potential. Programs like ours are vital because they’re more than a lifeline; they’re a springboard to a brighter future, helping youth find stability, healing, and a path forward. Every night, thousands of young people face the harsh reality of not knowing where they’ll sleep. For some, it’s couch-hopping; for others, it’s shelters or even the streets. But their strength and dreams persist, shining brightly in the face of unimaginable hardships. They’re students, artists, aspiring leaders, and change-makers who are simply looking for a chance to be seen and supported. These youth are not defined by their housing status they’re defined by their courage and drive. But they need us to amplify their voices, to rally around their needs, and to fight for the opportunities they deserve. This month, and all year round, let’s commit to raising awareness, showing compassion, and driving change. They may not have a permanent address, but they should always have a place in our hearts.

End homelessness in America. We believe ending homelessness in America begins with a sandwich. Our goal, beyond simply providing a PB&J sandwich to those in need, is to acknowledge and recognize the often overlooked homeless individuals and families in our community. When you see those experiencing homeless, one of the questions you may ask yourself is, “What more can I do?” We pray that what begins with a PB&J sandwich grows into much more for those who serve. In small ways, each of us can address homelessness in America. And together, we can end it. Our approach covers three initiatives to fulfill our vision: Educate Advocate Allocate Education represents increasing public awareness. Advocate is increasing support to not only host a PB&J Day, but to seek policy change and expanded community support to develop solutions. Allocate is the giving of our time, talent, and treasure (physical or monetary resources) to support PB&J Days and beyond. To learn more about how you can start a PB&J Day in your area or support us directly in San Antonio, please go to our website, pbandjdays.com. #food #SpreadKindness #pbandjdays #MakeADifference #help #service #homeless #endhomelessness

Yesterday the 100 in 100 initiative was launched in Grand Rapids. “An effort to house 100 individuals who are experiencing homelessness in 100 days with an intentional focus on chronic homelessness.” So encouraging to see this private/public partnership. Homelessness is a community-wide problem, and the entire community needs to be part of the solution. Grand Rapids Chamber City of Grand Rapids Mel Trotter Ministries Degage Ministries DeVos Family Foundation Dwelling Place Frey Foundation Heart of West Michigan United Way - Let's recognize every person has having inherent dignity and value. - Let's be proximate to others who are different than us. - Let's engage others with a posture of humility. - Let's seek first to understand, then to be understood. https://lnkd.in/eedUNWJX

At TheCaseMade, we are big on practicing what we preach. This week, it's Dr. Tiffany Manuel's turn, in this great op-ed in her local paper. If you want the public to think differently about ending homelessness, you have to talk differently about ending homelessness. #reimaginehowjusticewins #thecasemade

Homelessness and housing is complicated. We know that. As someone who has been deeply engaged in thinking about solutions to homelessness since founding Hollywood Arts in 2005 - a school focused on preventing young adults from falling into chronic homelessness - I thought I had a comprehensive understanding of the issues at hand. However, recently, as a result of working on behalf of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce with the incredible Brittney Weissman, Kerry Morrison, Aaron Taxy and the dynamic team at Hollywood 4WRD, I've learned even more. Over the past few months, our team has engaged in candid conversations with various stakeholders, delving into areas often overlooked in mainstream discussions about housing and homelessness. The insights we've uncovered have challenged my preconceptions and expanded my perspective, despite my years of experience in this field. What we've discovered through this process is truly remarkable. The depth of research, the diversity of voices we've included, and the innovative approaches we've explored have shed new light on longstanding issues. I believe you'll find these revelations as compelling and thought-provoking as I have. I strongly recommend making time to attend this event. https://bit.ly/3TsOheN Join me in learning about and reimagining solutions to one of our city's most pressing challenges. #HousingCrisis #HomelessnessPrevention #CommunityDevelopment #SocialImpact #InnovativeSolutions

In September Karen McKeon attended HomeFront’s Community Engagement Open House to learn more about volunteer opportunities. Previously, Karen and her family had dropped off donations but this year, in early November, Karen volunteered with the HomeFront Thanksgiving Drive by helping sort and organize Thanksgiving donations as well as creating Thanksgiving baskets. Shared Karen, "Thanksgiving is a time to remind us to pause and reflect on our blessings. My family is fortunate to wake up every day knowing we have a loving home and there is always food on the table for anyone who enters. We will be spending Thanksgiving surrounded by family and friends. This is not the case for everyone and HomeFront is an organization that is focused on ending homelessness and breaking the cycle of poverty." Thank you, Karen, for volunteering, and sharing your experience. Here is some information about the HomeFront organization: They believe that, “Every family should experience the joy of a home cooked meal on Thanksgiving Day.” But their mission goes beyond feeding families that are hungry. “HomeFront’s mission is to end homelessness in Central New Jersey by harnessing the caring, resources and expertise of the community. We lessen the immediate pain of homelessness and help families become self-sufficient. We work to give our clients the skills and opportunities to ensure adequate incomes, and we work to increase the availability of adequate, affordable housing. We help homeless families advocate for themselves individually and collectively.” Homefront's way forward to the future is all encompassing, seeking to end homelessness for once and for all. It's ambitious and, as they say, audacious: "We recognize that we cannot end homelessness only by responding once it has already happened but must do what we can to ensure more families never experience the pain of homelessness in the first place. To that end, HomeFront has recently embarked on a multi-year effort to strengthen our capacity to forestall the crises that derail the ambitions and stability of families in our community, with programs and staff working more “upstream” on preventing homelessness." Perhaps there are similar organizations in your community--please share their good work. #foodinsecurity #endhomelessness #communityneeds

The High School You Don’t See Imagine a high school you can’t see, where no bells are ringing, no teachers, and no students. Instead, there is silence. Silence that speaks volumes about the invisible crisis of youth homelessness. 958 young people are turned away each year from Project Youth. 958 - That's equivalent to an entire high school left empty. The empty halls echoing with a crisis hidden in plain sight. It's easy to overlook the high school you don't see. After all, homelessness doesn't always look the way we expect it to. It's not always sleeping rough. Sometimes, it's hidden in the shadows in our own community with young people sleeping on couches or in unsafe and overcrowded housing. Every young person deserves a safe place to call home. Help us ensure that NO young person is left behind in a high school we don't see. You can help by Writing to your local politician to advocate for more funding for services Learn about youth homelessness and it’s impact Discuss with your family and friends and help us reduce the stigma Sign the petition for a stand-alone National Youth Homelessness Plan Donate to a local youth homelessness service Together we CAN end youth homelessness ! #thehighschoolyoudontsee #endyouthhomelessness #yhmd2024 #sydneyyouth #projectyouth #projectyouthsydney #youngpeoplematter #youthwork #endingyouthhomelssness #endingyouthunemployment #creatingopportunities #traumainfomred #youth #supportingyounngpeople #sutherlandshire #georgesriver #youngpeople #youthwork #youthvoice #endinghomlessness #endingcyclesofdisadvantage #community #youthworkmatters #socialwork #volunteering #makingadifference #socialenterprise #community #communitysupport #communityfirst #endyouthsuicide #supportus

Join the Philly Homes 4 Youth Coalition for the Breaking Barriers Through Their Eyes: A Summit to End Youth and Young Adult Homelessness, an immersive, hands-on advocacy day focused on ending youth homelessness in Philadelphia. This experiential event will shine a spotlight on the challenges faced by youth and young adults experiencing housing insecurity, featuring powerful stories from those with lived experience. Attendees will gain an in-depth understanding of the current systems and services available to address youth and young adult homelessness, while also collaborating to identify solutions that are working, gaps that need to be filled, and innovative strategies for change. Goal: To cultivate a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by youth and young adults experiencing housing instability and homelessness, and use these insights to build a coordinated community response that drives collective action to end youth and young adult homelessness and ensure all young people have access to safe housing and opportunities to thrive. By the end of the event, participants will leave with actionable insights and a collective vision to build a stronger, more inclusive future for our city's youth and young adults. Please RSVP HERE https://lnkd.in/eHfVw6NQ