YouthCare

This is an incredible organization filled with an amazing staff of dedicated individuals.

Children ( youth) in Seattle don't have to live on the streets plus they are mentored into education / training and jobs.

I have been privileged to interact with YouthCare in a couple of different capacities. In one case the organization was the client for a Master's project. I serve on the board of another professional association which chose YouthCare as the organization of choice to support for the year. We purchased a tile which one of the students had created and auctioned it off at our benefit event for additional proceeds.
I have toured the Orion Center a couple of times and am always impressed with the quality of the programs, the caring professionalism of the staff, and the extensive and well-thought out services they provide.
I am honored to be able support the organization in various ways and will continue to do so as much as is possible.

YouthCare has been in the business of helping homeless teens for generations! I volunteer at at house for young people from 12 to 18 years of age. The kids and the staff are like a second family to me. So I guess you could say they give me a "home," too. YouthCare touches many lives. And we ALL are the better for it.

As a previous volunteer from Alaska Airlines, working at the Youth Center and fixing breakfast for the young men and women, I was immediately impressed with the staff and all the young people that came for breakfast. They were all very thankful and courteous . I was so impressed that I continue to make the Youth Center the recipient of my donations on an ongoing basis. Our youth must be given a fighting chance to succeed in a difficult world and the Youth Care Center is providing that chance every day with their support and facility to provide a safe, supportive and comfortable place for our youth on the street.

I am I child and family therapist and a researcher on youth homelessness working in the Seattle area. As a therapist, I have worked with dozens (maybe even hundreds!) of clients who were connected to YouthCare in some way. In each and every case, I am always thrilled to learn that a client is being served by YouthCare becuase I know they will receive excellent support and compassionate service. I have known clients at all levels of the agency--outreach, case management, shelter, transitional living, etc. In all instances I have been impressed by the expertise and passion demonstrated by the staff. In my mind, YouthCare is undoubtedly the greatest resource available to homeless young people in the Seattle area.

I've donated clothing and money, in the past, to Youthcare. But, after attending a fantastic luncheon (which raised, not only funds, but awareness for me!) last spring, I decided to donate time, as well. I had met a couple of women that served dinner at the Orion Center and they asked if I'd like join them sometime. Sign me up! Since then, I've felt honored to assist in preparing meals and, the best part, smiling and laughing with young people. The staff is very gifted, recognizing the stress so many youths experience being out on the streets. The place is welcoming and encouraging-hopeful. As a mom (and one that has my own personal story), I appreciate what Youthcare has accomplished and will continue to support this great organization!

I've served a couple of times at this Youth care facility. I think it is vital that outreach to at-risk teens especially those that are homeless. Great experience with the staff and I hope to serve soon again.

I have been involved in supporting YouthCare for 10 years. First as a staff member, then a donor and advocate, and now a board member. I am always in awe of the pure dedication and hard work of the staff and board. The mission to get young people off the streets and preparing for life is a simple one, but the work is not simple work. I am proud to be a part of this work and know that the focus of everyone involved in YouthCare is always about helping young people succeed. Please support this organization. Our young people deserve it!

I have long been a supporter of YouthCare - as I have become more active over this past year as a volunteer and as a Board Member I have become more impressed each month with the depth of excellence with which YouthCare and its terrific staff operate. I am proud to be associated with this organization and love introducing my friends to this nonprofit having amazing impact.

I have been extremely impressed by Youthcare's team (in social services so much depends on who is working with the clients), their integrity, their values, their commitment (they go above and beyond in ways big and small to improve the lives of their clients), and their strategy (don;t just provide a ht meal or a place to sleep but work with young people in need every step of the way).

Through all my interactions with YouthCare, as a volunteer, donor and Board Member, I am consistently impressed with the level of care, thoughtfulness, expertise and professionalism shown by all those involved in this incredible organization. It is a really tough world for our young people and it genuinely feels like YouthCare is making a difference, one young person at a time.

Youthcare is a fantastic organization that meets youth where they are without judgement, offering a wide range of services and involvement. As a weekly volunteer at the drop-in center, we offer a place to come take care of themselves, do activities, and visit together. The youth are great, appreciative and respectful with better communications skills than any number of people I can think of.

YouthCare is a great organization serving homeless youth. I volunteer to provide a lunch meal once per month. The staff do a good job of having a relaxed and supportive atmosphere as they engage the young people they serve. Often as we serve lunch, the youths thank us.

YouthCare is a tremendous organization that does everything it can to respect, protect and empower the youths it serves.

I work as a volunteer helping to serve dinner. Every time I have gone, I found the center to be clean, well-lit and inviting to all the youth that would come. There is a sense of appreciation, too, of the good the center does for them as every single meal ends with at least a few of the kids thanking the volunteers for dinner. It has the feel of a safe space and on the only time I have witnessed an altercation among the youth, it was quickly taken outside an deescalated by staff. I'm very impressed with the services they provide and feel it makes a real difference which is why I continue to volunteer, if only to help in a small way to a greater cause.

Along with my coworkers I have been volunteering with Youth Care for over ten years providing hair and make up services for the annual prom and rounding up donations for gift bags to be given out at the holiday party. Youth Care and the Orion center staff strike a perfect balance of structure and flexibility in working with our volunteers. For many of the folks I work with this is their first time volunteering and the experience they have with Youth Care makes them want to sign up year after year. I love that in addition to the essential and emergency services provided that there is also energy put into creating fun events and meaningful experiences like the prom and holiday party. I appreciate every opportunity to support Youth Care and our downtown neighbors who use their services!

YouthCare contacted CPS regarding my daughter based on lies told to them by another youth. Instead of contacting me youthcare contacted CPS.. Youthcare based on someone else's lies ruined my daughter and my life. I had to pay a lawyer $5000 to prove that youthcare lied and contacted CPS based on a jealous youths lies.. I paid 5000 to keep my daughter but cost me our housing. This situation made me lose my housing and has ruined our lives.. all because youthcares employees believed a street kids lies..THANK YOU FOR RUINING OUR LIVES

I became aware of Youth Care at my workplace when a couple of the staff spoke to us. They provide a necessary life support for youth on the streets, many of whom aged out of the foster care system and have no where else to go, others whose families have abandoned them, and still others who are addicted to drugs or find themselves in prostitution in order to survive. Youth Care has a passionate, dedicated group of volunteers and staff who are tireless in their efforts to assist teens and young adults get off the streets and on their feet, successfully helping them to go on to lead productive lives. If it weren’t for them, many of these kids would have a much harder life, even hopelessness and tragedy. They are my favorite charity. Please help them with whatever you can give and in whatever way you can.

As a social worker for Children's Administration, Youthcare has been one of my top referred resources. I have been amazed by the depth of their services and the impact it has made on my clients.

I can't say enough wonderful things about YouthCare. I volunteered with the organization for the first time over a decade ago. Now, I'm entering my third year running monthly styling workshops for youth in partnership with the One Eighty Foundation. The staff has an extraordinary ability to stay focused on the youth while still nurturing the volunteer's experience. Organized, consistent and always appreciative, the staff are exceptional. And the youth! They are unbelievable- relaxed, fun, open and thoughtful. After over 25 years of being involved with endless nonprofit organizations, I strongly recommend YouthCare. Any way that you can get involved, please do.

The government does not support homeless youth in the ways one would hope. Youth Care is an amazing organization and they fill a vital role in the Seattle community. Social workers help homeless kids with everything from the basics of food, shelter, and a shower to tutoring, job hunting, and counseling. The stories the youth tell of their struggles are heartbreaking. This organization needs our support financially and from volunteers who help with things such as preparing meals, tutoring, serving on the board and providing professional services. Please give them your support!

YouthCare is an organization that makes a lasting change in the lives of young people. I can't think of an organization that is making a bigger difference for our community.

I have been involved with YouthCare since the mid-1980's, initially as an attorney representing and advocating for young people in the criminal justice and child dependency systems and later as a volunteer and donor. This wonderful agency is staffed with incredibly capable, competent and caring individuals. Because of their boundless efforts and dedication and strong support from the community, YouthCare has rescued and, in some cases, saved countless young lives. And for me, I gain such personal fulfillment and meaning working as a volunteer. The young people I have encountered while they attend school, participate in the educational/vocational training, and use the clothing bank, hygiene center and meal service are kids who are generally desperately in need of the services YouthCare provides and have been victimized, abandoned and forgotten. This agency and its services improve the quality of their lives and give them hope for the future every day...

As a mother, it is obvious just how much support young people need to get a good start in life. The obstacles these kids face are enormous and certainly not of their choosing. Youthcare tackles the tough stuff and provides life-changing interventions that put these deserving young people on the path to stability and success. I am proud to be a volunteer and supporter of Youthcare. In my mind it is the best nonprofit in Seattle, period.

I volunteered for youth care by cooking and serving lunches at the Orion center. The center really provides amazing essentials for young people who are really down and out. Giving them an opportunity to be safe, cared for and understood. Allowing many to move into a more stable phase and hope for the future. Really great work and an awesome place to volunteer.

I volunteered as an activity leader in 2013 at youth care orion center. I loved facilitating a dance jam for youth who were eager to engage and express themselves.
I feel so grateful to have been involved with this organization. I was amazed at how down to earth and professional the staff were. The youth care community for the at risk youth was shaped by respect and empowerment. The resources and opportunities youth care provides are in touch and adaptable to the real world these youth face. Programs like barista training, resume assistance and dressing/ training for an interview, and construction working degrees all centered around empowering youth with tools to become independent. Youth care is a place of compassion and growth building.

My name is Erika and I volunteered at YouthCare in January of 2014. My Washington Conservation Corps crew and I served lunch one day for a couple of hours and collected food donations at the Whole Foods down the street the next day. It was a humbling experience that I will never forget. We were able to restock their shelves with canned goods and other packaged foods. It felt good to give back to my local community, knowing the kids would have hot food.

The many success stories of YouthCare tells all about knowledge, passion and dedication of the staff . I recently attended an orientation for Volunteers. The presentation was one of the most informative and honest discussions of homelessness youth.

Our community owes YouthCare a huge thank you for all their efforts!

I've volunteered at YouthCare Orion Center as a kitchen cook and server quite a few times in 2013. The volunteer team who I worked with under Michele from CSL was excellent, and we were always in sync with each other. To see these kids with nowhere to go, come in, dry off, and get a hot, wholesome meal, prepared with love, and be so extremely appreciative was always such a soul-nurturing, extremely rewarding experience.

I'd do it again in a heartbeat, if I'm ever living in Seattle again!

Working downtown, I see on a daily basis, the need for organizations like YouthCare that provide an avenue off the streets for young people. I am confident that when supporting YouthCare, I'm helping provide access to safe housing, caring adults, and employment training programs.

As part of a church group that provides a meal once a month at Youthcare's Orion Center in Seattle, I am always impressed with how organized the center is, and how friendly, helpful and on-track the staff is. Most of all, I love that the center provides the opportunity for volunteers to put nourishing food in the bellies and smiles on the faces of the kids who come in for a hot meal and a taste of community. I'm so glad that Orion Center is here for the young people who come to their door.

I am constantly impressed by the staff, kids and volunteers at YouthCare. The staff and volunteers know the mission, and know how to accomplish it. I always overhear some amazing story from the kids. For example, a resident travels 2 hours on the bus just to get to work and another 2 hours back.
The key to it all is giving the kids a safe place. Great job, everyone.

Over the Summer, I had the privilege of touring YouthCare's Orion Center. I was literally blown away by their warm welcome. Randi, fellow staff and volunteers were not only hospitable, they all seemed really happy to be there.

Aside from shelter and food, YouthCare provides useful resources for our youth. What impresses me the most is that within these walls, youth are given an opportunity to receive an education which is a gift.

Throughout my life, I've learned that many (material) things can be taken away from you to the point of feeling empty but once you receive an education...NO ONE can ever take that away.

Kudos to everyone at YouthCare!! You're doing amazing work and it's not going unnoticed.

Thank you, YouthCare, for allowing me to give to you in a way that comes from my heart even though I am not directly involved in the terrific work you do. You are always gracious when I bring in my donation for the Bridge girls--in a way that makes me feel part of the team. Thank you for all you are doing for the youth in the Seattle area. You do us proud!

YouthCare uses funds and donations wisely. They get donations of clothing, care supplies, household goods to the homeless/high risk youth and young adults on the streets. They work with the clients others would turn away. I have seen how donations that are unrestricted can make the greatest difference - often foundations/donors provide money for specific programs or services - but having unrestricted dollars will allow staff to really address the needs of clients who don't fit nicely into a box. For example one client needed transportation across the state to go into drug and alcohol treatment, another needed money to pay for an RX co-pay for important medications that had run out. It was great to see how my donation was put to use by staff who really knew the young people in ways that really supported their success!

Decades ago, I was on the streets having ran away from an abusive home, and the foster care system. Were it not for YouthCare I would likely not even be alive today. They provided food, clothing, and many other services, but the most important service they gave to me was teaching me that there were good people in the world. My faith in adults and in people had been shattered by my experiences, and YouthCare helped to establish some trust in good healthy people.

They treated as a valuable person. I had never felt that way before, because the ones who were supposed to love me and take care of me had thrown me away. YouthCare taught me that I am valuable and worthy.

Today I am a happy and healthy and thriving individual. I might have died on the streets, but thanks to YouthCare and all the help they gave me, I get to live a life I could never have imagined as a hungry, cold, homeless little girl on the streets of Seattle.

I am grateful that they are still here to help kids who now must live as I did. I am still in touch with staff from long ago. YouthCare has remained a part of my life.

They do great work for homeless teens! They were helpful with donation information and their website/facebook/mailings are awesome! I hope they get more recognition for their wonderul contribution to helping homeless youth!

I have really enjoyed volunteering preparing and serving meals at YouthCare's Orion Center. The staff are wonderful and welcoming, and the space they create for the youth they serve and for volunteers is dynamic yet relaxed, integrous yet flexible. I love being involved with this organization.

Hola, I became involved w/ Youthcare by volunteering in the kitchen for a couple of tuesdays.
The people involved at the Orion center really had a possitive impact on me.So i am pursuing more volunteer opportunities w/ this organization.Mui gradesco jovenes cuidado!
Anthony

This is an outstanding non-profit that has an extraordinary track record of tapping into the potential of some amazing people. It has a strong mission, is well-managed, and produces results. Youthcare is my kind of investment!

I learned of Youthcare through my wife and her team of committed volunteers at her church and also her place of employment. The program is outstanding and provides food and resources to those that are in a difficult place. I have had the chance to volunteer with the team to cook on multiple occasions and have found the experience to be positive and humbling at the same time. The young people that come in for dinner have always been courteous and respectful. They really appreciate the effort put forth to assist them and that is due to the Youthcare staff how they operate the Orion center. My wife and I have also donated to the various programs and did a fundraising drive to help with hygiene products.

For those of you out there in the business world, looking for a way to give back to the community as well as conduct teambuilding for your employees, cooking a meal at Youthcare is a fantastic opportunity to do both.

My friend and I volunteered for dinner, it was an excellent experience. Preparing and serving meals for homeless youth is not only fun, but also meaningful. Staff at YouthCare are awesome, they are very enthusiastic and patient toward the youth. I had a great conversation with Jack, the Community Outreach Meal Coordinator. I believe that far beyond providing meals and shelters, this program is also teaching those youth about love and responsibility.

YouthCare I have accesed a number of there resources including there youth shelter and there drop in center. Any youthcare program offers a safe place with amazing staff. At 16 and being on the streets it gets kinda tough, without youthcare I most likely would be hooked on meth or something. They provide 3 meals a day a snack, showers, and just a place to chill and be safe... if you been on the streets you know that priceless. I do not have one complaint about any of the services I have accesed at youthcare. YOUTHCARE IS ABOSOULUTELY AMAZING!!!!!!!!!

Until I discovered YouthCare, I was naive about the adversity that so many homeless youth face. It was eye opening to consider the obstacles of feeding yourself and also struggling with housing, hygiene, or even your gender identity. YouthCare made it easy for me to learn more about these youth in my community and to understand their goals, obstacles and dreams - I felt compelled to be involved.

My husband and I have been involved with Youth Care in a variety of capacities. Most recently as our schedules have gotten busier, our involvement has shifted from volunteer to financial contributions. We have only just begun our exploration into more charitable giving and continue to come back to YouthCare as a primary organization to support.

We are confident that the funds or goods that we donate are going directly to the source in need. They welcome our support with open arms and are happy to discuss suggestions, ideas and upcoming events.

I support their focus on teaching basic life skills and preparing youth for life in a straight forward, attainable approach. The first step is building trust, and to do that you have to be trustworthy. I trust in YouthCare and am happy to support their efforts in whatever capacity I can.

My wife and I serve dinner one night a week to the Catalyst residents. We have greatly enjoyed watching these young adults working hard to improve their situation and we are glad to know that they have a warm, safe home as they make their way. The young adults delight us with their insights and impress us with their bravery. We look forward to Tuesday nights and hope that our meals nourish the residents in more ways than one. It certainly does for us.

I love volunteering at youth care and organizing our teams at champions foundation to volunteer. We love the staff and youth as well so enjoy serving dinner twice a month. If you are looking for a great place to volunteer where you can make a difference this is your place.

I Ron Brooks begin voluneteer a year ago, and found out early how much love the staff helping the youth. This orgainzation is ran very professional which shows it is built on good foundation. The big thing is how much you see the youth lives are improven daily. youth care displayu true love to help the homelessness. I was inspired by the way joy came upon the kids face cause they felt at home, i started my own non profit to help others. Five star is what youth care gives you.

I have been a donor, cheerleader, and volunteer for YouthCare for well over 30 years. Why? Because it provides useful comprehensive services to homeless youth. From a hot meal, and a place to sleep, to counseling, education, and job training, YouthCare works with homeless youth, not at them or for them. I have seen for myself the many youth who have been "saved" from the streets. Homeless youth do not have a voice of their own. YouthCare provides a most well respected voice for them in the greater community.

I was on the streets for 8 years. I always had a job, always. But even with $3600 in a bank account, no one would lease me an apartment. There was one scary week-by-week rental place on cap hill with shared bathrooms and kitchens, but theft and drugs were common there and I couldn't bring myself to risk it. After a couple years, I got into STRALEY HOUSE thru YouthCare. I had been going to Orion Center for food and to hang out on days off from work and when I finally got into Straley House, everything started changing. I got 18 months of rental history with them. I was able to save up even more money and have safe place to keep my things with an actual lock on my bedroom door. Laundry. A KITCHEN with FOOD. Absolutely amazing. Straley House got me off the street, YOUTHCARE got me off the street. And now? I make 6 figures working as an FTE with Microsoft. Yessir. They believed in me and I'm happy to say I am paying them back through matched donations and volunteer service. PLEASE believe in this organization. They are true and real.

Homeless and at risk youth have a unique set of needs and vulnerabilities. Youthcare provides various tiers of service to help this population, which is sizable in Seattle. Having an organization for youth specifically is important, as older homeless populations face a different set of problems and youth are also sometimes very wary of adults due to their life experiences. I have volunteered at Orion Center several times and it has always been a great experience. It serves as a one-stop shop for youth: five days a week it provides 3 meals a day, laundry service, a rec room, counseling, schooling, job training and much more. It recently has opened a shelter for youth with a few beds. I like that it helps from the most basic level (food, clothing, shelter) all the way to social services that get kids off the streets for those that are ready.

I started volunteering with YouthCare thinking that I could make a difference in a simple and practical way in their Orion shelter for homeless young adults. Expectations fully met. But it was through volunteering with the organization and learning more and more about their programs and holistic approach to youth homeless that is super impressive. Yes - immediate needs are met (meals, shelter, etc.) But more than only this, YouthCare provides skills training programs (only in Seattle would we have a barista training program in partnership with Starbucks!), bike repair, computer hardware, GED, etc. A super impressive organization and dedicated staff. Although my schedule has changed and I can no longer physically volunteer, I've shifted my focus to supporting them financially and spreading the word. Keep up the great work!

My co-workers and I volunteered to serve lunch at YouthCare. It was a great experience! YouthCare is filling such a vital need in our community and meets youth where they're at. I'm looking forward to volunteering again and would encourage anyone who wants to be inspired to lend a hand at YouthCare.

What an honor and pleasure it has always been to volunteer with the clients and staff at YouthCare! The youth being helped by this organization give back as much if not more than they get. Can't say enough about how much I respect what this organization is doing and how confident I am that any time and moeny I can give them is always well invested.

I have been volunteering with Youthcare for almost two years. Their organization is doing such a great job with the homeless youth in Seattle. They meet these kids where they are at and show them things can change. They involve the local community business and churches to connect with these kids. I really feel like my time volunteering made a difference in my community.

As one who received services from YouthCare years ago, I will speak for this organization. The services provided to youth by YouthCare are life-changing. The atmosphere in any of their buildings was pure acceptance and love. There is a constant drive to not just provide for the most basic of needs. Young people who reach for assistance will find, in addition to the necessities, the tools that are needed to be both successful and happy in life. They will find a group of people who genuinely care about the struggles faced by children, teens, and young adults and are actually able to help you pick yourself up from the bottom.

YouthCare works well with the issues of challenged youth on so many levels. I volunteer as a GED tutor. These kids have daunting obstacles but they are working hard to improve their lives. I started last January 2012 and tutor once a week for two hours. It has been fabulous to see several of the kids that I have tutored plus many others succeed and get their GED's (high school equivalency). This success plus counseling and other programs offered really make a difference in these young adults lives.

I think that Youth Care is the best non-profit organization out there that provides a critical transition path/opportunity to youth and young adults that are at extreme risk. They do not give hand-outs, instead they give their clients the opportunity/skills to make them self sufficient. There are a ton of different ways that these kids can learn these life long skills through the various programs that they offer. They have excellent staff that supports its volunteers with many ways to contribute and the organization uses the funds wisely and does not send me wasted mailings (I am also a financial contributor as well). I am thankful that YouthCare is out there to take care of our kids.

Recently moved to Seattle. Walking by the Orion Center on Denny & Stewart caught my attention "What is that big Green Building" Well I soon found out. Volunteering in helping prepare meals lead me to working with staff who give 110%, dedicated in providing a human connection with individuals who for one reason or another have found themselves on the streets. I also attended an Open House where various YouthCare staff spoke to their roles and the many other programs, be it a GED, General Education classes or Vocational Training. A place where individuals who need a supportive community get a chance at redirecting their life onto a positive road.

This is an amazing agency focused on getting their young people the skills they need to launch themselves in a new direction. It has been gratifying to work with these kids as a tutor, and watch as their confidence grows, their sense of identity evolves, and they feel more hopeful about their futures. Hats off to the dedicated staff who has created a welcoming, and nurturing environment that provides concrete help as well as that less tangible.

Why YouthCare? Because the youth they serve matter to us all. These kids often have nowhere to turn. They are provided basic life needs in a warm and caring environment. I have had the privilege of tutoring GED students there for over three years and each kid who tries hard can meet with the necessary success that will lead them forward to self sufficiency. When no one believes in them, YouithCare does. The incredible staff make every effort to guide them to healthy productive lives. Get to know this organization and your life will change.

I began serving meals at YouthCare's Orion Center, together with my teenage son, almost two years ago. We were immediately drawn to the great vibe there. I have nothing but respect for the leadership of Youthcare. The staff is very kind to the youth who have been through so much and need a safe place to land. In turn, the youth are very eager to interact with our food group and are very sweet under their rough exterior. I began tutoring GED students about a year ago and I just love working with the fantastic teaching staff as well as the neat youth. It is the most meaningful thing I do every week!

Every person I have encountered who works for YouthCare is selfless and passionate about what they do. It's not just a job, but a calling to serve people in need. I can't say enough to honor how YouthCare steps in and gets its hands dirty to solve a real and tragic problem in our communities. The employees and youths alike are grateful for volunteers. Volunteers help keep the organization running by giving their time, needed items, monetary donations, or other services. YouthCare doesn't just give homeless youth a place to stay, it strives to train teenagers and young adults how to thrive on their own through counselling, education and vocational training.

YouthCare is a wonderful non-profit to volunteer at. At the administrative office, the staff are incredibly welcoming and it is clear they are dedicated to the work of the agency. As a volunteer there are a broad range of opportunities to get involved with different aspects of the agency. They truly take into account your own personality, strengths and abilities and create a unique volunteer experience accordingly. For example, if someone was a talented artist, they would work to start an art activity night at one of the shelters. The combination of the amazing staff at YouthCare and the variety of volunteer opportunities, distinguishes YouthCare as a non-profit organization.

Youth care lives their misson each day, they provide hope and caring for homeless youth in the Seattle area.

I have begun to volunteer with Youth Care in their meal cooking program and have been humbled and inspired by this organization, the dedication and professionalism of their staff and in renewed respect for the youth that they serve. I have been able to observe some of their other services to the homeless youth in such areas as vocational training (the barista program) in other educational services, clothing, laundry facilities, books, games, etc. Simply a place for them to come and feel safe and not judged. I urge any and all to get involved in this wonderful organization!

YouthCare is one of the best non-profits I have ever volunteered at. They live their values everyday and provide so much opportunity for the youths they help. Beyond the basics of meals, hot showers and a place to sleep; they provide access to laundry facilities, GED assistance, job training and short term housing. Their approach is very proactive and progressive. Every time I volunteered, I felt amazed by what they do for the community.

When I was a teenager, this type of help was not offered in Seattle. Youthcare provides a vital service to the homeless youth in Seattle. Not only does it provide a warm meal, a hot shower, job training,.......it provides hope that someone cares. It shows a way out, a way to move forward, a may to change for those who want it without lecture or recrimination. It provides a safe foundation.

I've volunteered at YouthCare for about a year. It's pretty amazing the services they provide homeless youth.

I've volunteered with Youthcare for a few different events, one included cleaning and organizing the Orion Center in downtown. The services that they provide to homeless youth in the community is huge. Clean clothes, emergency shelter, GED and trade school courses, and so much more. They make a great impact on our community.

I've given money to YouthCare for two years now. I found it when I was looking for something similar to Covenant House but in my city. CH had helped a dear friend of mine when we were teenagers, and I wanted to honor her by donating to a similar organization. Since I began supporting YouthCare and learning about what they do, I've been even more impressed with them than with the original CH -- they're nonreligious in nature (I have no idea what their organizational background is, but it doesn't enter into the work they're doing on the streets, at least), and they really take extraordinary pains to *think* about what homeless youth really need, and how to get it to them. They're endlessly hopeful, but hold no illusions which would keep them from looking head-on at the realities they're facing. I admire them tremendously, and will keep supporting them to the extent I possibly can; I'm thinking about volunteering with them, too.

After learning about the problems associated with homeless youth in my area, I held a warm clothing drive for YouthCare last year. They were so grateful and so easy to work with, I can't wait to hold another drive!

I saw two kids sleeping in the shelter of a blackberry bramble, cardboard their only protection from the rain. One was a young fellow holding his girlfriend as she slept in his arms under the cardboard. It was a miserable morning and this time, I couldn't just walk by. I sensed something wasn't right. Something about the girl's flushed complexion. I asked if they were okay, the young man said, "She's sick." She had a fever and was shaking from chills. Her eyes didn't lie. She was so sick. I recalled coming home as a kid with that kind of sickness. I knew I could crawl into bed and my mom would care for me with hot soup, a gentle touch and the comfort an extra blanket. Where could this child go? If I had known about YouthCare at that time, I could have taken them there. YouthCare provides that gentle touch, whether its to the fevered brow or the heart sick spirit of a homeless child. Over the years I've been a supporter of YouthCare, I've grown even more confident of their commitment to young people and their vision to end homelessness by addressing it at the very beginning of a life cycle. There is no place better in my experience than the dedicated people at YouthCare.

Great organization. I went to one of their luncheons; the kids’ testimonials truly opened my eyes to the struggles that they have to go through. YouthCare not only provides housing, but also the basic life skills for them to succeed. Support YouthCare!!

YouthCare is a national leader in tackling youth homelessness, through programs which provide a strong continuum of services from outreach and meeting basic needs to moving youth into educational and vocational alternatives that enable them to build better lives. This organization is led by talented leaders and dedicated staff who combine a passion for youth with the know-how to provide programmatic solutions that have real impact. I got drawn in by hearing the stories of youth and leaders whose lives were changed in profound way. YouthCare changes lives.

My family and I have been involved with YouthCare, the largest service agency for homeless Youth in Washington, for more than twenty years. I have seen the agency grow in a very difficult environment because it is seen as a community resource that remains true to its mission of providing our children with every opportunity to reengage in the community and become successful, contributing adults. The kids who are served are survivors many of whom have experienced abuse, drug and alcohol addiction, extreme prejudice, or mental illness. And YouthCare recognizes that every kid needs love, attention, and the opportunity to survive and succeed in a complex and difficult world. YouthCare is their life line for success. The offered services from the basics of safe shelter, food, clothing to housing, counseling, education, job training and most importantly a stable relationship with someone who cares, are an inspiration to me. YouthCare is an extraordinary and vital community resource that has earned our support.

Seeing and hearing the endless stories and testimonies of lost and homeless youth that found their way due to Youthcare's effective solution based approaches is incredibly rewarding. Youthcare staff are a community leader in driving best practices to reduce youth homeless. I am proud to be part of such a dynamic and innovative organization.

I became aware of YouthCare during my studies at Seattle University. I was immediately drawn to the social justice impact they were having for homeless youth. It was astonishing to me the numbers of youth sleeping on the streets in Seattle. I had no idea that over 1000 kids in this areas were on the streets and on their own. Sitting in the Orion Center one afternoon it became clear that these kids need YouthCare and YouthCare provides a tremendous service to these youth.