Article by Caroline Schulenburg at the Kitsap Smokestack
Felicia Hord was returning to her car while on one of the two-to-three grocery runs she makes per week as the chapter director of StandUp for Kids in Kitsap County when she noticed a young couple with a dog parked next to her. They looked fatigued. Rather than asking if they needed help, as young people traumatized by homelessness are often reluctant to admit to being in need of, she asked them about their dog.
Soon, Felicia was on her way to the chapter’s storage facility to pick up several “weekend food bags” as well as personal hygiene supplies for the young couple.
Nothing can make one feel so powerless as seeing a fellow human being spending every waking hour and every ounce of energy in a struggle just to survive. The prospect of a child or young adult navigating the danger, loneliness and uncertainty of life on the street can be utterly depleting. Dwelling on these feelings is not a luxury the volunteers at StandUp for Kids have. The organization was founded on the premise that something as simple as a plastic bag with instant soup, a few granola bars, a juice box and some crackers, or a kit with soap, a toothbrush, toothpaste and some clean socks can save a life. By acknowledging their existence, by offering dignity, by reminding them that they are not forgotten and worth fighting for, StandUp for Kids believes that a teen or young adult currently experiencing homelessness isn’t consigned to a future on the streets.
If asked, many homeless teens and young adults will not identify as being homeless. Technically, a home with abusive adults is still a home. Even if you have been kicked out, it is still your home. That is why a clear understanding of the nature and scope of youth homelessness in America remains elusive. Coupled with a teenager or young adult’s ability to present themselves as being perfectly normal, census-takers routinely overlook them. Yet, threats faced by young people living on the streets typically make themselves apparent within the first 48 hours of leaving their homes, with roughly 22% being approached by someone soliciting drugs and 1 in 3 being lured into prostitution.
Hunger, fear and isolation can lead to choices with devastating consequences.
Local food drives, small donations by community members and support from local businesses have enabled StandUp for Kids to meet an increasing need for food and hygiene supplies, but there are larger problems that need to be addressed. Statistically, 40% of homeless youth identify as LGBTQ, and there is a desperate need for a shelter where young people who have been cast out by their families as a result of their sexual orientation or gender identity can feel safe and protected.
StandUp for Kids in Kitsap County has carved out a niche in the community by partnering with local schools, but want to expand their efforts.
Reaching the more rural parts of the county can be challenging. The thick woods of the Pacific Northwest can conceal poverty, and young people who are determined to remain unseen take advantage. The almost complete lack of a shelter where a young person can feel protected (shelters for adults can be terrifying and the number of beds where a minor can shelter are almost non-existent in Kitsap County), hits particularly hard every time Hord’s phone rings and another young person has nowhere to go.
Opening a shelter is a long-term goal, but there is always a sense of urgency. As anyone who has signed on to try to make the world a better place can attest, the work can feel overwhelming and the future uncertain. Addressing the issue of youth homelessness and the unique challenges it poses seems daunting. But by meeting young people where they are, listening without judgment, and taking care of some immediate needs, the volunteers at StandUp for Kids know they can open the door for hope.
When Felicia returned to the parking lot with food and supplies for the young couple, she learned that they were two of ten young adults who were taking turns sharing a single tent in the woods.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE about or volunteering for StandUp For Kids In Kitsap, check out standupforkids.org/kitsap-county
AND IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW is in need of help, please call (888) 265-4543 or txt (360) 509-6802