A nonprofit named New Horizons is stepping up to support Seattle’s homeless youth population. The residence will be available for 18-24 year olds in the area who need a place to stay overnight.

The shelter was opened in the same building as Street Bean Espresso, a nonprofit cafe that has already been working to offer apprenticeships to those that qualify, according to KIRO7.

Union Gospel Mission is responsible for funding and staffing the shelter, which Mary Steele, executive director of New Horizons, claims is the second biggest in the state.

“We have clothes for job interviews,” said Steele. “Sometimes we see the kid from Mercer Island who has gotten into drugs and ends up on the street. Most typically, 40-60 percent of these young people have been physically or sexually abused in their own home.”

According to the One Night Count, there were more than 800 people in the area between the ages of 12-26 that were either homeless or didn’t know where they were going to eat. The Young Adult Emergency Shelter will hopefully see that number quickly drop and help reduce youth homelessness.

Photo Credit: Flickr

Author

  • Keith Reid-Cleveland is a proud product of Chicago's Southside and the Missouri School of Journalism. The Black Youth Project News Editor has written about politics, race and entertainment for multiple publications, such as Uproxx, The Undefeated, Black Nerd Problems, Comic Book Resources and more.