• Equality
  • Community
    • Health
    • Youth
    • Seniors
  • Voices
    • From the CEO
    • Take Five
    • Why I Give
  • About the Center
  • Galleries
  • Calendar
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Trending
  • Slice, Slice Baby!
  • LGBTQ+ Youth, Seniors, and ‘Drag Race’ Queens Celebrate Chosen Family at Inaugural Intergenerational Thanksgiving Dinner
  • Dispensing Culturally Competent Care: The Center’s Patient-Centric Pharmacy Does Much More Than Fill Prescriptions
  • Get to Know the Center’s New Leadership Team
  • The Center Looks Back on 25 Years of Senior Services
  • Center CEO Joe Hollendoner: “Our Work Is Never Done”
  • Trixie Mattel Inspires LGBTQ+ Youth to Be Their Best Selves at Models of Pride: “You Are All the Main Character”
  • From Poetry to Tap Dance, Seniors Flaunt Their Talents at Fall Showcase 
Twitter Facebook Instagram YouTube
LGBT News Now
Learn about career opportunities at the Center
  • Equality
  • Community
    • Health
    • Youth
    • Seniors
  • Voices
    • From the CEO
    • Take Five
    • Why I Give
  • About the Center
  • Galleries
  • Calendar
LGBT News Now
You are at:Home»Community»Youth»One Home At A Time

One Home At A Time

0
By on September 30, 2019 Youth

Innovative Host Homes Program Invites You to Help End Homelessness for LGBTQ Youth

Your spare bedroom can make all the difference in the life of an LGBTQ youth on the verge of independence.

Through the  Center’s new Host Homes program, an LGBTQ youth is housed in a local, private home for up to six months, providing a true community solution that helps bridge the gap between homelessness and permanent thinking of new, innovative, creative ways to address this problem,” said Kevin McCloskey, the Center’s associate director of Children, Youth & Family Services. “We want to replicate a chosen community and a chosen family for the young people. This is an opportunity for someone who’s willing to provide a youth with an opportunity to come into their home, appreciate who they are, and just support them.”

On any given night in Los Angeles, there are more than 4,000 homeless youth surviving on the streets of Los Angeles—in Hollywood a staggering 40 percent of them identifying as LGBT. And the need continues to grow, with homelessness in Los Angeles County rising by 12 percent last year.

The Center serves approximately 300 youth experiencing homelessness per month, but beds for emergency and temporary shelter are limited. Many youth are on a waiting list for shelter and, in the meantime, come to the youth drop-in center for meals, showers, clothing, laundry, and services.

“Being in a host home gives youth the space to think about how they are going to propel their lives forward,” said McCloskey. “And, with support, they realize they’re not on their journey alone.”

The Center’s goal is to match 15 young people within the first of the program, which is funded

by the Los Angeles Housing Services Authority. Similar programs have been established by organizations in Minneapolis, Atlanta, and San Francisco, as well as locally through Safe Place for Youth in Venice.

Potential hosts must be over the age of 30 and have a private room available in their home. Hosts also must have homeowners or renters insurance and must complete a background check, home inspection, interview process, and training before they can qualify to be matched with a youth.

Participating youth, who are between the ages of 18 and 24, receive counseling, transition services, and assistance with finding permanent housing from Center staff. Both the youth and the host enter into a contract covering basic house rules and boundaries.

“There is a flexibility built into the program to make sure that the match is right for both the host and the youth,” McCloskey said.

In July and September, the Center invited potential hosts to eight-hour training sessions. Interviews and background checks are underway for those who attended one of the trainings and want to move forward with being a host.

Host Homes Program Coordinator Angela Pacheco hopes the initial hosts who come on board will cause a ripple effect and inspire others to open up their homes.

“Hosts are actively participating in a solution to homelessness,” she said. “Rather than just talking about the issue and being frustrated that no one in the city is doing anything, hosts themselves are actually getting involved and creating positive results to one young person at a time.”

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)

Related Posts

Slice, Slice Baby!

LGBTQ+ Youth, Seniors, and ‘Drag Race’ Queens Celebrate Chosen Family at Inaugural Intergenerational Thanksgiving Dinner

Trixie Mattel Inspires LGBTQ+ Youth to Be Their Best Selves at Models of Pride: “You Are All the Main Character”

Comments are closed.

Upcoming Events

Feb 4
5:00 pm - 10:00 pm

The Future is Black 2023: Renaissance

Feb 9
February 9 - March 4

Cock

Feb 10
February 10 - February 11

The MisMatch Game: Crazy Little Thing Called Love Edition

Mar 16
March 16 - April 16

Menstruation: A Period Piece

Apr 29
April 29 - June 24

A New Brain

View Calendar
About Us

LGBT News Now

LGBT News Now is a publication of the Los Angeles LGBT Center. Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2019, the Center is the largest LGBT organization in the world, dedicated to building a world where LGBT thrive as healthy, equal, and complete members of society. Learn more at lalgbtcenter.org.

Follow Us on Instagram

lalgbtcenter

The Los Angeles LGBT Center is building a world where LGBT people thrive as healthy, equal, and complete members of society.

Los Angeles LGBT Center
Last call for RSVPs: We have just a handful of ope Last call for RSVPs: We have just a handful of open seats left before we officially reach capacity! See the link in bio to register— and we cannot wait to see each of you this Saturday, Feb. 4! The question is now: what will you wear? #BHM #LAFabulous
This is not a drill: There are active legislative This is not a drill: There are active legislative threats against our freedoms going up for vote across the country. We know most of these fights are not happening in California—but that’s precisely why our Center community can be of help. Join the Resistance Squad today by texting ‘RESIST’ to 33339 to help win this fight, and swipe through the slides to understand what’s happening. —>
Did you know that the Center hosts a Senior Prom f Did you know that the Center hosts a Senior Prom for our #LGBTQ+ #elders each year? A few years ago, we were visited by filmmakers who wanted to document the event in all its glory—and now their film is airing tonight on @PBS at 10PM PT. Please tune in to celebrate the amazing work of our Senior Services team and our real heroes, our incredible clients! And stay tuned later this year for more from our next installment of the Prom.
Our community at the Los Angeles LGBT Center exten Our community at the Los Angeles LGBT Center extends our deepest condolences to the loved ones of those we lost in the tragic mass shooting in #MontereyPark, and our well wishes to the survivors who are recovering. We remain committed to our hope for a peaceful and prosperous Los Angeles—without guns and hate.
We’re honored to join the @academymuseum as a Co We’re honored to join the @academymuseum as a Community Partner for the upcoming screening of Pat Rocco's Signs of Queer Life on January 26 at 7:30pm.

The trailblazing LA-based filmmaker and gay rights advocate, #PatRocco, captured seminal moments of LGBTQ history, joy and upsets. Check out a preview of his film #WeWereThere. Use discount code LGBTQ+ to get $2 off tickets to the screening! Link in our bio. 
 
#AcademyMuseum #LGBTQstories
The Center is proud to announce our inaugural thea The Center is proud to announce our inaugural theatre season! This year, we are partnering with local theatre companies to present nearly 100 showings of four remarkable plays to lift the depth and diversity of LGBTQ+ narratives. The line-up includes world premieres, an award-winning comedy, and a radically reimagined musical. Performances begin Feb. 9—Get your tickets now at lalgbtcenter.org/theatre, or at the link in our bio! 🎭 🎟️
SHE DID NOT COME TO PLAY! The one and only @bigfre SHE DID NOT COME TO PLAY! The one and only @bigfreedia, Queen of Bounce, is coming to the Los Angeles LGBT Center for #TheFutureIsBlack — our #BlackHistoryMonth event — and tickets are FREE to the public at the #linkinbio. Hear from Freedia and a dynamic roster of other Black talent, then dance the night away in our Renaissance-themed afterparty. Mark your calendars for Saturday, February 4th and get on that list at the link in bio before it closes.
Today we commemorate one of our nation’s most pr Today we commemorate one of our nation’s most preeminent civil rights leaders— the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.— who left us a transformative legacy rooted in service and community. His noble actions blueprinted monuments of unity across the country, and especially, here at home in Los Angeles. On this #MLKDayofService, we are reminded of our ability to champion equity and justice for all.
 
#DrKing #MLKDay
We at the Los Angeles LGBT Center are deeply distu We at the Los Angeles LGBT Center are deeply disturbed by the videos depicting the tragic deaths of three Angelenos, and join the Mayor in calling for urgent police reform and accountability. Swipe through for our full statement.

#TakarSmith #KeenanAnderson #OscarSanchez
Load More... Follow on Instagram
Stay Connected
Subscribe
Copyright © 2022 Los Angeles LGBT Center
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy
  • Contact Us

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.