More than 30 years after finding support at YouthCare, singer-songwriter Meghanne Storey returned to share her music—and the story of how relationships, encouragement, and the belief in her potential helped shape her future. 

When Meghanne Storey took the stage at YouthCare’s Evening of H.O.P.E. fundraiser, she brought more than her remarkable voice. She brought a piece of YouthCare’s history, a song rooted in her own experience, and a powerful reminder of what can happen when young people have adults who believe in them. 

As the audience listened to Meghanne perform her original song, “Patience,” they heard a talented local singer-songwriter sharing her work. What they didn’t yet know was that, as a teenager in the 1990s, Meghanne had experienced homelessness and stayed in YouthCare shelters. She had spent time at the Orion Center, where staff members helped her navigate an uncertain future and encouraged her to discover her potential. 

After her performance, emcee Matt Lorch shared that connection with the audience. Suddenly, the evening became something even more meaningful: a full-circle moment more than three decades in the making. 

The response was unforgettable. Meghanne received a standing ovation, and there were very few dry eyes in the audience. Guests were deeply moved by both her extraordinary musical talent and her story—a story of hardship, perseverance, and the lasting impact of people who show up for young people when they need it most. 

For Meghanne, it was a return to a place that had helped change the course of her life. 

A Safe Place to Land 

Meghanne first found herself navigating homelessness as a young teenager. Home was not a safe place for her, and leaving was a way to protect herself. 

At just 12 years old, she made her way to Seattle, eventually connecting with YouthCare and other community resources that helped young people experiencing homelessness find shelter and support. 

Looking back, Meghanne remembers that the people made the difference. 

She recalls staff members who provided meals, checked on young people sleeping outside, helped them find shelter, and made sure they knew where to turn when one place was full. YouthCare worked alongside other organizations to connect young people with available resources. 

But what stayed with her most was not simply the services. It was the relationships. 

There were adults she could count on, people who knew her name and continued showing up. Some of those relationships have stayed with her for more than 30 years. 

“Having that stability when you have nothing makes a big difference,” Meghanne reflected during our conversation. 

For a young person whose life had been marked by uncertainty, knowing there were safe adults to turn to mattered enormously. 

One Person’s Belief Can Change a Future 

One of the most consequential moments in Meghanne’s time at YouthCare began with a staff member who saw her potential as a student. 

At the Orion Center, Meghanne connected with a staff member who encouraged young people to continue their education. When he recognized Meghanne’s abilities, he pushed her to pursue her General Educational Development (GED) credential. 

Meghanne initially thought she was too young. 

“I was 14. I can’t get it yet,” she recalled telling him. 

But YouthCare staff persisted. They worked with her, helped her prepare, and advocated for her ability to take the next step. One staff member even went to court to help secure the permission she needed. 

Meghanne earned her GED and went on to attend college. 

She ultimately pursued multiple degrees, including studies in forensic psychology, forensic technologies, family counseling, special education, and naturopathic medicine. 

It is an extraordinary educational journey, but Meghanne is clear about the importance of that early encouragement. YouthCare staff saw something in her and challenged her to see it in herself. 

That is the power of believing in a young person—not simply telling them they have potential, but helping them take the next step toward realizing it. 

Making Room for Music 

Education was only part of Meghanne’s story. Music was another important source of connection, expression, and possibility. 

As a teenager, she often found herself singing wherever she could. Sometimes that meant sitting outside the Orion Center, drawn to an alleyway with acoustics that made it a good place to sing. 

One day, a YouthCare staff member heard her. 

Instead of asking her to stop, he invited her inside and began helping her develop her voice. Meghanne recalls receiving vocal instruction, performing at fundraisers, and connecting with opportunities to explore music more seriously. 

Other staff members encouraged her guitar playing and songwriting, helping nurture a creative interest that became an important part of her life. 

For Meghanne, music was more than a talent to develop. It was a way to cope when life felt overwhelming. 

She remembers sitting outside, singing to herself when she was anxious or unsure what to do next. Music gave her a way to express what she was experiencing and find moments of grounding amid uncertainty. 

“Encouraging creativity among kids who are struggling is really important,” she explained. Creative expression can help young people recognize that there is something special about them, even when their circumstances make it difficult to see their own worth. 

The song Meghanne performed at the Evening of H.O.P.E., “Patience,” carries that history with it. 

She wrote it on a guitar given to her by a YouthCare staff member. Over the years, the song has taken many forms. For Meghanne, it was both a plea to YouthCare to let her stay and a reminder to be patient with herself. 

And in another remarkable full-circle moment, the first time she performed the song live was at a YouthCare fundraiser at the Sheraton. 

More than 30 years later, she returned to a YouthCare fundraising stage to perform it again. 

As the final notes faded at the Evening of H.O.P.E., the audience rose to its feet. The standing ovation was a testament not only to Meghanne’s talent, but also to the power of hearing a personal story that brings the impact of YouthCare’s work to life. 

The Impact of Showing Up 

Meghanne’s connection to YouthCare extended beyond shelter, education, and music. Staff supported her through difficult transitions, including court proceedings and emancipation. They helped her secure her first apartment and furnish it, and they continued checking in on her. 

Those actions helped provide something essential: the opportunity to move forward with greater stability and independence. 

Meghanne also remembers the people who stayed in her life, even when she was struggling. As a teenager, she sometimes pushed adults away. Looking back, she recognizes that their care and concern remained meaningful long after those moments had passed. 

She has stayed connected with other young people she knew during that time, too. They grew up together, looked out for one another, and built relationships that have endured into adulthood. 

For Meghanne, these experiences demonstrate why consistent relationships matter so much for young people experiencing homelessness. 

She hopes people will understand that the young people YouthCare serves are not problems to be solved. They are people, each with a story, abilities, dreams, and a future that deserves a chance. 

She also has a message for the people who do this work every day. 

Even when it feels as though your words are not getting through, young people hear you. They remember what you do and how you make them feel. The encouragement you offer today may matter in ways you cannot see for years to come. 

Every Young Person Deserves That Chance 

Today, Meghanne continues to make music and share her story. Her decision to speak publicly about her experiences comes from a desire to help others see what is possible and to challenge the distance people sometimes place between themselves and those experiencing homelessness. 

She knows that no two young people have the same path. She also knows how much it can matter to have a safe place to turn, an adult who keeps showing up, and someone who recognizes your potential before you can fully recognize it yourself. 

When asked what she would tell the teenager she once was, Meghanne’s message is simple: 

“Don’t give up. Just keep going.” 

It is a message she hopes young people experiencing homelessness today will hear, too. 

For YouthCare supporters, Meghanne’s story is a reminder that the impact of this work cannot always be measured in a single night of shelter, a completed educational program, or the moment a young person moves into housing. Its influence can extend across decades—in the education someone pursues, the creativity they discover, the relationships they carry forward, and the future they build. 

When you give to YouthCare, you help create opportunities for young people to find safety, stability, connection, and the support they need to pursue their potential. 

You may never know exactly where that support will lead. You may not see the college graduation, hear the song written years later, or witness the moment a former youth returns to share their story. 

But those moments are possible because someone showed up.

Help make those moments possible for the next generation. 

Your support helps YouthCare provide young people experiencing homelessness with the shelter, resources, relationships, and opportunities they need to build a future of their own.