Each year, an estimated 4.2 million youth and transitional age young adults experience homelessness in the United States. These estimates indicate that approximately one in 10 adults ages 18 to 25, and one in 30 youth ages 13 to 17 will experience homelessness each year. Homelessness is often undercounted or hidden among youth and young adults since many are not in shelters and may transition between temporary sleeping arrangements with friends or acquaintances. In a City we call home, it is estimated that 4,000 youth are unhoused on any given night in Los Angeles.

To meet the evolving needs of the unhoused young people we serve, we need additional physical space and upgraded facilities. Last year, 893 young people visited My Friend’s Place 10,264 times to engage in programming that ranges from basic needs services such as meals, showers and clothing assistance, to employment services, creative workshops and housing case management. Any further program growth is impossible without additional space for programming and additional staff members.

To continue to meaningfully provide care to young people as the homelessness crisis becomes more complex, My Friend’s Place must have the resources to:

• Expand programming, including 7 days a week provision of care
• Invest in additional team members to assist in delivery of expanded services
• Secure a new campus to support programmatic and organizational growth

Today, we are faced with many challenges, as well as opportunities, that compel us to embark on our most ambitious growth plan since our founding. To meet the evolving needs of young people experiencing homelessness, and to leverage the unique opportunities of this moment in time, My Friend’s Place has embarked on a $22 million fundraising effort from private and public contributions by 2027. To date, we have secured over 30% of the funds needed from our community of supporters.

The Campaign for My Friend’s Place will make it possible for young people experiencing homelessness to have access to:

• Case management and expanded services offered seven days a week
• More space for creative arts programming, outdoor relaxation and play areas, and a mobile health clinic
• Space to support well-being services, including double the number of showers and a kitchen to deliver more nutritious meals
• Dedicated space for parents, babies, and children
• Expansion of staff to provide the expanded services and support the expansion of operations