Countdown to 2020 … Melissa learned about HOPE 4 Youth through the outrace program at her school.

At 18, Melissa didn’t have a permanent address. She and her young daughter moved between one family member’s place to another with no place to call home. Although struggling as a single parent experiencing homelessness, Melissa kept up with her studies and was on track to graduate high school.

She learned about HOPE 4 Youth through the outreach program at her school. After meeting with a HOPE 4 Youth case manager, Melissa was excited for the opportunity to find resources, namely, stable employment, housing and parenting advice. With HOPE 4 Youth’s support, Melissa and her daughter now have their own apartment and a place to call home. “What I learned most from HOPE 4 Youth,” Melissa told her case worker, “is that difficulties don’t last forever.”

HOPE 4 Youth works to meet youth experiencing homelessness where they are. We frequently connect with youth on the streets, in the libraries, at churches, and local schools. Our goal is to connect youth to basic need resources, while providing encouragement and support while they work toward self-sufficiency. This can often be a bumpy road but like Melissa said, the difficulties don’t last forever.