Dear Friend,

On any given night in Minnesota, 6,000 youth are without a home – many are sleeping in cars, on a friend’s couch, or on the streets. Since 2013, HOPE 4 Youth has worked to change the trajectory of young lives by providing pathways to end youth homelessness in our community. Pathways we could not continue to provide without the support of donors like you.

Zac was one of those youth. When Zac first came to HOPE 4 Youth, he was without a home, living in his car while holding down several jobs. “I’d find a secluded apartment complex, park my car and hope for the best,” Zac said when asked where he would stay at night. He heard about the Drop-In Center from a friend and once there, he knew he’d found a safe and supportive community.

“At first, I was only really showering and doing laundry, but eventually, once I began factory work, I really needed the extra food,” Zac recalls. On the few days he didn’t have to work, he would stay for a hot meal and meet with his case manager to work on long term goals.

“I was in a position where I knew what I had to do to get to where I needed to be, but there were so many obstacles – finances, laws, systems, and other people,” he added. Working with his case manager, Zac found the support he needed to move out of his car and into stable housing.

“Even on the warm nights, it’s still cold,” Zac reflected as he moved into his first home – a duplex arranged through HOPE 4 Youth’s Housing Navigation program. This will be the first winter in two years that Zac will have a warm bed, a stable environment, and a safe place to call home.

Last year, more than 880 young people like Zac received support from HOPE 4 Youth. “HOPE 4 Youth has given me an anchor. I know how easy it really can be as long as you never give up and never allow people to hold you back, and it makes me feel like I’m living to my full potential as a young adult.”

Without you, HOPE 4 Youth cannot continue to help youth, like Zac, find a warm place to call home. Your generous gift will provide access to shower and laundry facilities, a hot meal, employment and educational opportunities, housing navigation services, and essential skills needed to ensure life long success for every young person that walks through our doors.

Can we count on your support? Your donation today, in any amount, is appreciated.

Warmly,

Cheryl Jensen

Interim Executive Director

P.S. 96% of youth housed through HOPE 4 Youth are still stably housed.

Your support today will change the trajectory of young lives tomorrow.