On any given night in Minnesota, 6,000 youth are homeless and unaccompanied. These young people face extraordinary challenges and barriers. The vast majority are youth of color who identify as African-American, and a disproportionate number identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, asexual or allied (LGBTQIA). About 60% of Minnesota's homeless youth have a parent who has been incarcerated. More than half have been abused or neglected and have mental health challenges. Almost half of homeless youth report that they experienced violence, have been exploited sexually while being homeless, and/or became homeless due to domestic violence.

A problem this widespread and complex needs a range of solutions. In this issue, we focus on one inspiring, community-drive response - host homes. Every year, 20-30 members of our community open their homes to youth experiencing homelessness, hosting young people for as short as a week or as long as two years.

Host homes work! In FY2017, 100% of youth leaving host homes moved into stable housing. At the same time, we are fostering connections and building community. The hosting arrangement is life-changing for hosts and youth.

Interested in hosting? Know someone who would make a great host? You can learn more about Avenues' host programs here.

 

Finding The Right Fit: JT's Story 

Avenues trains volunteer hosts to house youth who are experiencing homelessness. The host-youth matching process is youth-driven, just like all of Avenues' work. Youth decide if a host if the right fit. This is JT's story.

This spring JT, a young man who is neurodiverse, had been waiting for the right host home for several months. He had lived in a host home as a freshman in college, and reconnected with the program during his senior year after finding himself sleeping in his car. 

Avenues started looking for a host home with experience with neurodiversity who would mesh well with JT, a high functioning, highly intelligent and inquisitive young adult. JT needed hosts who could keep up with his curiosity and tenacious spirit! 

Staff just weren't finding a good fit for JT, until finally,  that family arrived and welcomed JT into their home.  The hosts had neurodiverse children of their own and were excited about the possibility of another young person in their home. JT has been there a little over two months now, has recently graduated from a four-year college, started a part time job and reports things are going well with the hosts. 

Sometimes the wait is long and youth are cautious about who they choose to live with, but Avenues is dedicated to youth directing their own path. 

Pictured above: The Thies Family 

Thank You, Thies Family! 

The Thies family, Brad, Jo, Maddie and Christopher, first learned about host home when they opened their home to Ryan Berg, a staff member of Avenues. Ryan house sits for the family, who is jokingly his "host family." Since they learned of the programs, they have found creative ways to impact the youth in the programs.

Most recently, Maddie contributed a song to Power of Love with her band, Northern Pinnacle. Proceeds from Power of Love create a lasting funding stream for the programs, as well as bring awareness to LGBTQ youth homelessness. 

The family has also helped make Queer Avenues, our location in St. Paul, feel welcoming to youth. They donated bookshelves and books for a reading corner, and have given supplies for arts and crafts. They've contributed to other arts programs at Avenues too, like building materials for youth to create a tiny home project. On top of that, Jo made homemade mittens to keep our youth warm in the winter. 

Overall, they are wonderful supporters of the work we do at Avenues and give to the youth in many ways. Thank you for your support, Thies family!