Community Forum on Ending Youth Homelessness in Cincinnati/Hamilton County
CINCINNATI (May 23, 2017) – Innovative ideas for ending youth homelessness will be the focus of a community forum organized by Lighthouse Youth & Family Services and Strategies to End Homelessness.
FACTS:
• In 2016, 37% of people who were homeless in Hamilton County were under the age of 18, and 12% were 18-24 years old.
• During the 2016/2017 school year, approximately 2000 students attending Cincinnati Public Schools were homeless.
• Local child poverty rates are the second highest in the nation.
During the forum, young people who have experienced homelessness, community members, and service providers will discuss ways to innovate and improve 20 potential projects to end youth homelessness.
Community Forum: Ending Youth Homelessness
Lighthouse Youth & Family Services and Strategies to End Homelessness
Wednesday, May 24, 2017
1:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m.
United Way-Convening Center
2400 Reading Road, Cincinnati
In January, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded $3.8 million to support our community’s efforts to end youth homelessness by 2020. Cincinnati/Hamilton County is one of only 10 communities in the entire nation chosen for the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP). This forum is part of the work being done by Strategies to End Homelessness and Lighthouse Youth & Family Services to develop how Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP) dollars will be used locally.
“Youth homelessness is a critical problem because, contrary to stereotypes, homelessness is overwhelmingly experienced by the young. As a community, we need to help young people fulfill their potential- young homeless people should not become older homeless people,” said Kevin Finn, president & CEO of Strategies to End Homelessness.
“Ending youth homelessness is more than providing housing. We are working to develop a set of strategies and resources to assure homeless youth are welcomed into a system by culturally competent, empathic professionals trained to support each person’s path toward stable housing, meaningful employment and expectations for a successful life,” said Paul Haffner, president & CEO of Lighthouse Youth & Family Services.
Lighthouse has been working over the last two years to develop a coordinated community plan to prevent and end youth homelessness. As part of the grant, Strategies to End Homelessness and Lighthouse Youth & Family Services will update the community-wide plan, participate in a program evaluation to inform the federal effort to prevent and end youth homelessness going forward, and serve as national leaders in the work of ending homelessness among young people.
About Strategies to End Homelessness
Since 2007, Strategies to End Homelessness has led a comprehensive system of care to prevent and eventually end homelessness in Cincinnati/Hamilton County. Working in partnership with 30 non-profit organizations, Strategies to End Homelessness coordinates a centralized emergency shelter hotline, homelessness prevention, street outreach, emergency shelter and housing solutions with the goal of ending homelessness. Local prevention programs have shown a 92% success rate at keeping those most at risk from entering shelter or finding themselves on the streets. In addition, our community has seen a 100% increase in the number of people served in supportive housing programs since 2007. Through the work of Strategies to End Homelessness, Cincinnati is recognized nationally as a leader in implementing innovative and effective programs to end homelessness. Strategies to End Homelessness is funded in part by the City of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, is a United Way Agency Partner, and a Better Business Bureau Accredited Charity. To learn more about Strategies to End Homelessness, and the community’s integrated network of homeless services agencies, visit: www.strategiestoendhomelessness.org
About Lighthouse Youth & Family Services
Mission: advance the dignity and well-being of children, youth and families in need
Lighthouse Youth & Family Services is dedicated to providing the best services and compassionate care to children, youth and families in need. The agency is a nationally recognized innovator in services for youth and families in crisis, foster care and adoption, mothers and babies, homeless youth and young adults, and youth involved with the juvenile justice system. Lighthouse also provides opportunities for learning and achievement for all students as well as housing options for young adults learning to become self-sufficient. Lighthouse is a member of the Steering Committee for A Way Home America, a national initiative to build the movement to prevent and end homelessness among young people. Lighthouse is funded in part by the City of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, is a United Way Agency Partner, and a Better Business Bureau Accredited Charity. To learn more, visit www.lys.org.