StandUp for Kids – Orange County
Back in September 2020, we shared how StandUp for Kids, in collaboration with the county of Orange, made a groundbreaking move in the way we serve youth experiencing homelessness in Orange County. Through the tireless efforts of the Director of Program and Business Operations, Carlia Oldfather, and county staff, we have found a way to help our youth further. You can read more about this collaborative effort and how it relates to Transitional Aged Youth (TAY) here. (Coordinated Entry – A New Focus On Our Homeless Youth in Orange County | StandUp For Kids).
We are back to provide you with fantastic news!
StandUp for Kids continues to serve the youth in need in our community with life-changing programs. We have introduced our Journey to Self-Sufficiency (JTS) mentoring program as part of the County Coordinated Entry System. Why is this important? It allows the county to increase its housing opportunities for our youth in need.
The JTS program is a 5 Stage mentoring program targeted to helping young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 who are experiencing or at-risk of experiencing homelessness. Through our JTS mentoring program, we seek to provide youth experiencing homelessness with the tools and the skill sets they need to move quickly from surviving to thriving. Housing is at the forefront of our efforts because we understand how critical it is to remove youth from a crisis environment and provide them with a safe place to sleep at night.
With our JTS program as part of the Coordinated Entry System, we can provide youth and other providers with direct access to additional housing opportunities. Today, StandUp for Kids has Rapid Rehousing Opportunities for youth who have strong ties to the city of Anaheim, Garden Grove, and Irvine. We also manage the Emergency Housing Vouchers allocated to youth experiencing homelessness for the Garden Grove Housing Authority and the Anaheim Housing Authorities. And now, thanks to our collaborative efforts, we have more housing opportunities available through our JTS mentoring program.
StandUp for Kids has a mission to continue improving the TAY youth support network in Orange County. If you or your company would like to help us end the cycle of youth homelessness and support the Journey to Self-Sufficiency program, please email Veronica at [email protected] to learn more.