Over 1,043 young people are living on the streets of King County on any given night. For a number of reasons, every one of them tragic, young people brave the exposure and danger of the streets nightly, working hard to meet their needs in Seattle’s public spaces.
It is a common misconception that youth have the support and skills needed to find employment and housing, but for the majority of the young people we see, this is not the case. The underlying causes of youth homelessness include family conflict, learning disabilities, parental mental illness and/or substance abuse, neglect, and physical and sexual abuse. Many of these young people have never experienced healthy adult relationships.
Motivated by God’s love for all people, SYM’s aim since 1993 has been to build relationships with youth, teach them how to do life and affirm their inherent worth, so they can experience stability and healing.
The staff and volunteers count it a great honor to be in the lives of the young people who access SYM’s programs.
