Dear YouthCare Community, 

I want to share important updates about YouthCare and our recent realignment. For 50 years, YouthCare has been a beacon of hope for young people experiencing homelessness. To sustain our impact and adapt to the evolving needs of young people, we embarked on a strategic realignment. This initiative ensures we continue providing high-quality support and services for the next 50 years.  

How We Are Taking Care of Our Financial Stability 

YouthCare is addressing its financial stability so it can continue to provide services in the community over the next 50 years. We know that the community and staff are concerned about YouthCare’s financial stability. We have diligently worked to ensure our financial stability through 2024 and beyond.  

By executing the realignment strategy, YouthCare will reduce its operating expenses by $3,400,000 by the end of this year.  

The team members in our programs do an incredible job, and each dedicated person owns a part of this plan. Our people will continue improving our operations as we move forward to ensure our financial stability. 

Phase One Realignment Strategy 

Staff Reduction and Transition 

We have nearly completed the first phase of our strategic realignment, a crucial milestone for YouthCare. This phase involved a difficult but necessary reduction in our overall workforce by 25% to be completed by the end of 2024. Many of the impacted positions were not fully funded, and this reduction will allow us to achieve greater financial stability as we plan for our 2025 budget. These decisions were not made lightly, and we appreciate the hard work and dedication these individuals have contributed to serving young people and ending youth homelessness. This reduction does not reflect their outstanding commitment and talent but was essential for ensuring our long-term sustainability. 

YouthCare is taking every measure to support impacted employees. We have provided affected employees with as much time as possible to transition successfully and hired an HR consultant to assist them with job readiness activities. Additionally, we have proactively referred those impacted to other service organizations with open positions. We are also pleased to share that YouthCare has been able to offer many affected employees the opportunity to move into open positions and remain with the organization.  

Operational Design 

Achieving a clear and efficient organizational structure is an essential milestone in our realignment process. We have been meticulously designing a framework that will best serve our youth, staff, and community. Our plan ensures every young person is connected to services in the community to help meet their needs. YouthCare will not return any young person to homelessness.  

How We Are Taking Care of Our Housing Services 

To be clear, we are not shutting down all our housing programs, but there are changes. YouthCare continues to maintain 50% of the adolescent beds in King County, which remain available to the young people who need them most. However, we are reducing the number of transitional housing beds for young adults. Here are the specifics: 

• Housing Reductions: The Catalyst Transitional Living Program and Home of Hope—Bridge Program will close effective August 31st. The housing reductions mean 23 beds will be temporarily unavailable to the community. Fortunately, YouthCare frontline staff has already successfully transitioned 65 percent to permanent housing and other supportive services in the community.  
• Engagement & Shelter Services will be consolidated at the Orion Center. Over the last few years, YouthCare was able to expand engagement services due to COVID funding. With this funding no longer continuing in 2025, YouthCare can no longer sustain expanded engagement services. Without additional public and private funding, YouthCare must fully close the University District Youth Center (UDYC) and South Seattle Youth Center (SSYC) by December 31st, 2024. However, to continue to meet the needs of the most underserved young people experiencing homelessness, YouthCare will ensure the availability of 20 shelter beds located downtown at YouthCare’s Orion Center. Drop-in day services will continue at YouthCare’s Orion Center. Through an innovative partnership, UDYC case management and workforce development services will continue by appointment. 
• Strategic Partnerships: We are actively seeking partners to take over those properties and continue providing services. As of now, we have not secured agreements. There are challenges, but we are working to find solutions that keep these vital services available. 
• Programs that will remain: The Adolescent Shelter, Casa De Los Amigos, ISIS Transitional Housing Program, and James Place Studios, a community-based housing program for young adults. These programs continue to provide young people with shelter, transitional living, and permanent supportive housing options. 
• Outreach and Case Management services focused on trafficking, justice-involved young people, prevention, and family engagement services will remain the same. 

How We Are Taking Care of Our Team 

I deeply value the dedication and hard work of our team. Each day, our staff shows up with passion and commitment to make a difference in the lives of the young people served at YouthCare. My number one priority since getting into this field of work has always been to take good care of the people who are taking care of others. It is essential to provide our team with the information and resources they need, even with limited resources. This means we must be creative, innovative, and united. 

We are coming together as an organization, sharing resources and ideas, and supporting one another. This collective effort helps us succeed in our mission. I am committed to ensuring our team has the necessary support to continue their invaluable work. Together, we are building a more integrated and collaborative YouthCare, one that is stronger and more effective in ending youth homelessness. 

Commitment to Communication and Connection 

I want to thank our team for participating and engaging in the all-staff listening sessions we have held. These sessions have been invaluable for answering staff questions in real-time and fostering meaningful conversations about organizational changes. We will continue holding weekly listening sessions so long as our staff feels they are useful.  

For departmental questions, YouthCare’s directors hold weekly team or one-on-one meetings to address the path ahead for their specific team. Next week, we are introducing a series of small sessions with a few executive team leaders at a time who will visit your sites to connect in smaller settings. 

We do this because open communication and connection are vital as we navigate these changes together. By staying engaged and supportive of one another, we continue to build a strong, united YouthCare that is well-equipped to meet the challenges ahead. 

A Message to the Young People We Serve 

To the young people experiencing homelessness right now: we see you. We are here for you. We are close by, ready to provide you with shelter, food, housing, a community, employment help—all the support you deserve. If you are in the LGBTQIA+ community, we welcome you. Our programs are designed with you in mind to equip you with skills and opportunities to achieve sustainable independence. We have your back. 

At YouthCare, you have a community that values you and supports you. Our team members are experts in the challenges you face and are here to help you navigate them. Whether you need a safe place to stay, access to education and job training, or someone to talk to, we are ready to support you every step of the way. No young person deserves to be homeless. 

You are not alone, and we are committed to walking this journey with you. Your resilience and strength inspire us daily, and we are here to help you achieve your goals and dreams. 

Forward Together 

Our commitment to ending youth homelessness remains unwavering. Today, many young people needing help are often hidden from statistics, couch surfing with friends or attending school by day and sleeping outside at night. At YouthCare, we serve them every day, provide the highest-quality support by dedicated professionals, and are continuously innovating and adapting to meet the dynamic needs of young people. 

It is for these reasons that we are taking decisive steps to ensure that YouthCare remains a beacon of hope in the community. Together, we are moving forward stronger than ever toward a future where no young person experiences homelessness and YouthCare is no longer needed. 

Until then, your support means the world to every young person whose life you help change. 

I look forward to sharing future updates with you. Thank you for standing up for the young people in our community. 

Warm regards, 

Degale Cooper 
CEO, YouthCare 

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