“No one knew I was homeless” | Youth Spotlight
In 1999, Emily's life took a dramatic turn after she was dropped at Youth Emergency Services’ (YES) group home. Her mother never returned, leaving Emily to become a ward of the state. After 30 days with YES, Emily moved to another group home, where she stayed for three months, waiting for next steps. After several failed placements with local foster homes, Emily decided to take charge of her home life.
“I chose to be homeless because the system was failing me,” Emily recalls. “I was getting more value as a homeless person than when I was in foster care.”
Emily chose to couch surf with friends while attending school and working to support herself. Despite her struggles, she maintained a semblance of normalcy, keeping her homelessness a secret.
“I went to school, supported myself with work, and couch-surfed with friends—but I didn’t have a home,” Emily says. “No one knew I was homeless.”
Still, YES served as a lifeline for Emily. YES Street Outreach staff would visit the park where she and other youth hung out, providing food, toiletries, and other essentials.
“If you needed [xyz], they would help you,” Emily remembers. “They would always make sure we got what we needed.”
Emily frequently visited YES’ Drop-In Center for hot meals, laundry facilities, showers, and educational workshops. These workshops offered life skills training, providing Emily with valuable knowledge and support that she still remembers today.
Remembering YES staff’s dedication to providing for the youth, Emily decided to give back to YES. When a family donated a significant number of new backpacks to her workplace, Emily saw an opportunity to help.
When the backpacks didn’t sell, she bought them herself to ensure that the youth receiving services from YES would have something sturdy and reliable. “Can’t give them just a plastic bag—it’ll tear!” Emily insisted.
Reflecting on her experiences, Emily emphasizes the importance of YES’s presence in low-income areas, ensuring they meet clients where they are.
“Over the years, YES has always stayed in the right area to meet clients where they are,” she says.
Emily's message to YES’ supporters is clear and heartfelt: “Continue what you can to help with the homeless teens… Anything you can do, keep doing it. Continue to do what you can to help teens.”