What homeless kids need this Christmas
What does a homeless kid need this Christmas? You.
A former client named Grayson said, “being homeless is already a hard place to be as a teen … everyone is seeing you as the person doing this and that, but it’s really a whole other fight you’re going through on the inside.”
The fight on the inside is about family breakdown, abuse, mental health struggles, addictions, being rejected by your family for your sexual orientation, and countless other things. Every story is different.
Listen to more of Grayson’s experience here.
We have all seen kids who seem to look or maybe even act messy, but these are the ones who need you the most. Teens like Grayson face risks every day, and they have no one.
They could be a victim of a crime one day, struggle with a mental health crisis next, and even give in to their addictions for a period of time. They are vulnerable to being recruited into the sex trade and most youth experiencing all this pressure have attempted suicide, at least once.
If you want every struggling teen to have a chance this Christmas, then I need you to give right now. An amount of $25, $50, $100 or whatever you can afford will mean homeless youth will get help when they need it the most.
Slowly, while working YES, and thanks to our supporters, Grayson’s life got better because he had a safe place to sleep, eat nutritious meals, and build success at school. After this, doors started to open for him. He added, “In five short years, you can have your life turned around and start living the life you imagined you would as a kid.”

Today, Grayson is working full-time, has his own apartment and is comfortable with the man he’s become. If you walked past him on the street today, he looks like another successful young man, and not the street kid people walked past five years ago.
This is the year you can open your heart to other young people like Grayson. With your help, they can get out of the dark place they’re in.
Yours sincerely,
Meagan Hennekam, Executive Director, YES Shelter for Youth and Families
P.S. Homeless kids need you this winter. Please donate to the youth and families at YES. Thank you.