Safe Place for Youth

A safe home can’t wait. For a young person experiencing homelessness, safe, trusted housing programs provide our youth with a safe space to build lasting stability. This year, we’re expanding and opening a new site with 49 additional beds, giving more youth the opportunity to find peace and a place to grow 💙 🏠 Your gift today helps grow SPY’s housing programs and the wraparound care young people need to thrive. You can make your gift here: https://lnkd.in/gtQ6Pk6F

Last week, our housing teams came together for a Community Resource Beach Day, bringing members from multiple housing programs together to build community and connect with essential resources. They were able to: 🏠 Connect 2 members to housing resources. 💼 Complete 1 Education & Employment intake. 🤝 Connect 1 member to disability support services. Thank you to all of the members who participated and to the incredible SPY staff who helped make the day a success!

On one October morning in 2025, I decided it was time to make a change. I was struggling with depression, overwhelmed by poverty and unemployment, and I found it hard to get out of bed each day. I told myself I would start small, so I sat on the porch of the shelter where I was staying and did my hair in the sunshine. It was a small act of care for myself but it led to a conversation that changed the trajectory of my life. A young man sat beside me and introduced himself and told me about SPY. A few days later, I was there completing my intake to become a member. Since then, SPY has given me access to the things I need like meals, clothing, and hygiene products. But more importantly, SPY gave me a strong foundation of community to build upon. SPY provided me with a community when I needed it most. I’m surrounded by people who’re overcoming the same challenges as me and people who I can relate to without judgement. Read Heaven’s full letter here: https://lnkd.in/gvm_5YzD

Our team had the pleasure of attending the National Alliance to End Homelessness Conference in DC to advocate for young people experiencing homelessness. We’re immensely proud of Youth Advocate Joseline for sharing her story: explaining how a housing voucher gave her the stability to move into permanent housing, care for her children, and finally focus on school and work instead of wondering where she'd sleep each night. She also spoke to the power of access centers and supportive services like SPY. “It’s critical that we bring young people into spaces like this. It allows them to see what’s possible for themselves and forces decision-makers to hear directly from people most affected by policy change.” - Noelle Stanfield, Chief Program Officer at SPY Look out for Joseline’s recap next month!

What if your coworkers could create the same impact you make at SPY? This summer, bring your workplace into our community by: 🪴 Volunteering in our Community Garden 🥕 Sponsoring or serving a meal for youth 😎 Making a gift to create summer kits with essentials 💼 Inviting SPY to your office to learn about youth homelessness and meaningful ways to partner Plus! Your employer may match your donations to SPY, doubling or even tripling your impact! Check with your HR team about their matching program. Learn more and help your team make a difference! Get started here: https://lnkd.in/g7NUJRJF

Flashback Friday! 💙 Huge thank you to citypakproject for providing SPY youth with 250 backpacks! This marks CITYPAK’s second giveaway for our youth, and their continued partnership means more youth facing homelessness and housing insecurity have access to durable, custom-designed backpacks built for their needs. We're so grateful to their team for consistently showing up to support our community. Each CITYPAK offers protection, dignity, and a reminder: you are seen, you are valued, and you are not alone.

Have you ever wondered what it takes for a young person experiencing homelessness to find their way to stable housing? For every youth who walks through our doors, it starts with the same first step: intake. The intake process is a critical step for our youth’s journey to housing stability. “During the intake process, we provide an interest form, and that gives us an indication of what they’re looking for and what they need help with”, says Stacey, Case Manager and Intake Coordinator. That first conversation shapes everything that comes next: from emergency housing to reconnecting with family hundreds of miles away. For one young person, it meant getting home to their parents in the Pacific Northwest within 48 hours. For another, it meant a warm bed the very same day. Every journey looks different but we’re here to support them all. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gzvq5v3H

A dependable place to sleep, somewhere to store belongings, refrigerate food, charge a phone, and an address to put on a job application. For youth experiencing homelessness, these basics are often out of reach. That is why housing remains one of the most powerful tools for creating lasting change. Every housing journey looks different, which is why our programs offer a full continuum of options paired with case management, education support, and health resources every step of the way. Our Interim Housing program offers immediate safety for youth who are street-based. Transitional Housing provides the time and stability needed before moving into independent living. Our Pregnant and Parenting program delivers family-focused services designed to keep young families together. And our Time Limited Subsidy program supports youth on the final stretch toward full independence by offering rental assistance and continued guidance. Exiting homelessness rarely happens all at once. Your gift makes that next step possible by moving youth from immediate safety toward a future that's fully their own. Make your gift to support our housing programs https://lnkd.in/ggGY9YUZ

“There is a lack of knowledge about resources in our communities. We do these outreach events to help our community and impact change.” - Joseline, SPY Squad member At SPY, we’re committed to encouraging our youth to reach their full potential. We provide wrap-around resources and support so each young person has exactly what they need to thrive. We also encourage them to find their voice, enact change in their community, and inspire others through their lived experiences. This is why we created SPY Squad: a coalition of young people who have experienced homelessness and can bring their perspectives to service providers, community members, and county officials to advocate for youth facing housing insecurity. SPY Squad members take pride in supporting unhoused youth and adults in the broader community, because they know what it’s like to face homelessness alone. Most recently, our youth spent the day at MacArthur Park offering basic necessities and hygiene items, and sharing information about SPY’s programs to ensure our resources are as accessible as possible. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gvwXRaX3