This month, YouthCare welcomed volunteers from organizations around the community for their dedicated ‘Days of Caring’. Volunteers from Expedia showed up in full force to spruce up two of YouthCare’s community living programs. These volunteers deep cleaned the kitchens, which are focal points of community building for youth who call these spaces home. After completing… Read More of “YouthCare Welcomes Volunteers for Annual “Days of Caring””
The transition from adolescence to adulthood can be hard, often filled with curveballs, hardship, and lessons learned. The young people we serve at YouthCare are on that same journey, going through the same trials and tribulations as their peers. But for young people experiencing homelessness, a traditional support system—parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents—isn’t always available, which… Read More of “Frankie: Finding the Support and Healing Needed to Move Forward”
This summer, stories of now-deceased wealthy financier Jeffery Epstein’s sexual exploitations rocked the country. The girls Epstein exploited were mostly young, poor, in foster care or on the verge of homelessness. This story is all too common: Those most vulnerable in our society are also most susceptible to abuse — and, in a cruel twist, often… Read More of “Washington State Must Help, Not Arrest Sex Trafficked, Homeless Minors”
Under the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA), any person under the age of 18 who performs a commercial sex act is considered a victim of human trafficking, regardless of force, fraud, or coercion. Washington State is currently in violation of federal law: the state continues to arrest and charge minors for prostitution, even though… Read More of “Washington State Must Help, Not Arrest Sex Trafficked, Homeless Minors”
It’s Thankful Thursday and we’re so grateful for our wonderful partnership with Bishops Barbershop on Capitol Hill! Every other month, our young people in program get so excited to make the trip up the hill to a cool spot, sit in a shiny black chair, and for a few moments, slip away into the leisure… Read More of “Haircuts with Heart: YouthCare Partners with Bishops on Capitol Hill”
Last week was a horrific week across the nation. Our hearts grew heavy hearing about two consecutive massing shootings—first in Dayton—and then in El Paso. While the motives behind Dayton are still under investigation, we know that the massacre in El Paso deliberately targeted people of color. Violent acts of white supremacy and white nationalism… Read More of “Dual Reflection: The Legacy of Toni Morrison & Confronting White Supremacy”
When President Trump took office in 2016, YouthCare braced for a challenging four years. But racist and hateful policies rocked YouthCare immediately: it was clear from the start that immigrants and those who are new to this country—particularly people of color—were Trump’s key scapegoats and the primary targets of cruel policy. Since that time, the… Read More of “YouthCare Condemns Racist and Inhumane Federal Policies”
For a few hours every third Thursday of the month, a small space at the back of YouthCare’s Orion Center transforms. A few rows of chairs are casually spread out. The lights drop low, leaving only the golden glow of string lights to illuminate the space. A mic stands tall. It’s a treasured moment where… Read More of “Open Mic Night: A Supportive Space for Youth to Create and Inspire”
Eric B. has an infectious laugh and a beaming smile that lights up a room. Like so many other young people experiencing homelessness, he endured hard times in search of three things: stable housing, economic opportunity, and a community of support. Poverty and hardship defined Eric’s childhood—paying rent and having enough food constantly worried his… Read More of “Eric: Flourishing with a Community of Support”
Last Thursday was a night to remember. YouthCare hosted its annual prom, where young people experiencing homelessness could dance the night away and feel the privilege of, well, simply being young. Unabashed joy. Play. A first dance. The excitement of supporting a young trans woman show up in the world authentically in a dress for… Read More of “A Prom of Our Own: YouthCare’s Annual Prom Night Goes ’90s!”