In the past year, 628 young people received some type of service available to the homeless. That’s according to the United Way of the Midlands. The organization manages the homeless management database for the community (the bed reservation system and client management system its housing and service providers use). All of those 628 individuals were between the ages of 17 and 24. For the past three years, the United Way has operated a Youth in Transition program to better serve this demographic. United Way’s Sr. Director of its Financial Stability Council, Jennifer Moore says the organization is looking to take their work to the next level.
A recent book reading and discussion forum about teen and youth homelessness in Columbia, allowed a group of community stakeholders to get an up close look into the host home model and how the concept can help stop the cycle of teen and youth homelessness in the Midlands.