Have a spare bedroom and looking to make a positive impact on your community? YOU can address youth homelessness in Washtenaw County by opening your heart and home to a young person experiencing housing instability!
Host Homes is a short-term housing support program that matches volunteer hosts in the community with a young adult (18-25 years old) who has experienced foster care. Our House participants will reside with their host family for up to six months rent free while they work on their self-identified goals, saving money, and learning independent living skills.
Host families will receive trauma-informed care training and on-going support from Our House staff. Hosts will provide basic household necessities (i.e. toilet paper, soap) and have the option of receiving a monthly stipend. The young person you are hosting will continue to work with their mentor and Our House staff to develop a case plan so they can successfully transition from your home into independent living.
Host Homes at their core are about connecting people with people and facilitating a neighbor-to-neighbor interim solution to youth homelessness. Host Homes put the "village" in "it takes a village". This community-driven, youth-centered program will play a critical role in addressing the youth homelessness for Our House participants by mobilizing community resources and caring adults to demonstrate to our youth that their community cares about them!
111 S. Wallace Blvd., Ypsilanti, MI 48197, US
Our House provides support and resources to Washtenaw County youth aging out of foster care as they transition to adulthood so they become successful, self-sufficient and can live independently with confidence.
Our House’s current focus is on two areas of support that can be a lifeline to youth aging out - a Mentoring and Life Skills Program and a Semi-independent Living Program.
The Mentoring & Life Skills Program will create opportunities for youth aging out to (1) develop a lasting support network, and (2) build practical living skills. Currently, high unemployment rates affect a youth’s job opportunities. Further, 25% of youth will be incarcerated within 2 years of emancipation. Building strong support networks and interpersonal relationships will help youth successfully navigate these challenges.
Sixty-five percent of youth leaving foster care need immediate housing and within 18 months of emancipation 40-50% of youth become homeless. The Semi-independent Living Program will allow youth to learn and practice independence within a supportive structure, increasing the odds of success as they transition to independent living.
111 S. Wallace Blvd.Ypsilanti, MI 48197
August 29, 2023
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