This week SBCS was honored to host a Rally to End Youth Homelessness in Chula Vista in observance of Runaway and Homeless Youth Awareness Month. Partner agencies including Feed the world BEC, South Bay Guidance Wellness Recovery Center, Southwestern College, Sweet water union high school district, United Healthcare, and YMCA of San Diego County joined SBCS and the City of Chula Vista for the occasion. Together, we raised our voices for youth experiencing homelessness, networked to build our capacity to help them, and committed to working together to end youth homelessness in our region.  We were honored to receive a proclamation from the City of Chula Vista marking November 14^th-21^st Hunger and Homelessness Week in Chula Vista. We were also lucky to have CBS8, ABC10, and Univision San Diego join us to help spread the word about this issue and what we can do about it.

According to The National Child Traumatic Stress Network, “as many as 2.5 million youth per year experience homelessness”. Without access to resources to sustain their physical and mental well-being, these young people are struggling just to get by and are not able focus on the growth that will set them up for a healthy, stable future.

SBCS began as a teen drop-in center in 1971. For 50 years, SBCS has been working help youth have the safe and secure housing they deserve, so they can thrive. We’ve seen first-hand how homeless youth are at an increased risk of suffering from depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and substance abuse and how they are increased risk of being targets of violence including domestic violence and human trafficking.

SBCS prioritizes assistance and resources for youth and families facing homelessness and is dedicated to helping those in need, not just in the month of November, but year-round. As an example, our agency offers Street Outreach for Homeless Teens, and we’re partnering with the YMCA of San Diego and other organizations to bring the ‘Housing Our Youth’ initiative to reality. Additional services are listed below:

Affordable Housing: Families & Seniors

Emergency Shelter & Transitional Housing: Domestic Violence Victims, Youth, and Homeless Families

Rapid Rehousing: Homeless Families and Individuals

Seasonal Interfaith Network: Homeless Families & Individuals

Thanks to our dedicated network of supporters, SBCS has spent more than five decades working with our partners to help ensure everyone has a safe place to call home. Unfortunately, our work is far from over. Through comprehensive and coordinated services and supports, we’ll continue to assist all individuals and communities to reach their fullest potential, regardless of their housing situation, during National Homeless Youth Awareness Month and beyond.