Bridge the Gap for Homeless Youth

Stephanie’s mom died when she was five years old. “I was there, she died in her sleep. I was in the room with her the whole time…that’s my last memory of her, trying to wake her up, like, ‘Mom, are you ok?’”

Stephanie’s father was incarcerated for most of her childhood. When he finally was in her life, he molested her.

Stephanie was angry for a lot of reasons—that her mother died, that her father abused her, that she had to act as a parent to her little brother. “I am my little brother’s mother, father, sister… I’m all that to him,” she shared.

A case like Stephanie’s is heartbreaking and dangerously close to tragic. She said herself, “I could be outside on the street right now… I could be dead.”

LAYC’s Street Outreach Program (SOP) meets youth like Stephanie every night. Youth who, for circumstances out of their control, are left with very few options. Youth in unstable living situations have higher instances of mental health problems, substance abuse, criminal activity/victimization, and unsafe sexual practices, as well as face barriers to education and employment (National Network for Youth, “Issue Brief: Consequences of Youth Homelessness”).

SOP staff outreach in the DC community to find homeless or unstably-housed youth and connect them with services. Youth receive case management and counseling, access to housing and education, sexual health education services, and workforce development training. Case managers work one-on-one with youth to determine their individual needs and create a plan for the future. Furthermore, LAYC staff represent permanent adult fixtures in youth’s lives – some of whom have never had such a luxury.

Stephanie, 22, is now working and safely housed, along with her little brother. She meets with Robin, an LAYC case manager, to talk about any issues in her life or to make progress towards her goals. She states, “LAYC is really helping me… I feel like here… they really do want to see you grow and prosper… Robin, I can go to her for anything.”

A donation $50 can provide emergency shelter for youth like Stephanie. Your support can mean the difference between a tragedy and a bright future. Please donate tomorrow, July 15th, starting at 9AM, to access matching funds from Global Giving and double your impact!

Thank you,