Serving Youth in an Economic Downturn
Youth Homelessness in Today’s Tough Economy
The 12-year-old boy came because his grandmother’s home in the Florida Keys was foreclosed. With his mom in prison and the whereabouts of his father unknown, he had no choice but to seek services at a runaway and homeless youth program.
Then there were the two brothers who were living in a car with their mother after she lost her job and subsequently, their home. She sent them to a shelter so they could get three square meals every day. Theirs was a happy ending: Mom found a new job and an apartment within three weeks, and they were reunified.
More unfortunate was the 14-year-old girl from San Diego County who ran away from home due to the turmoil caused by money troubles. She’s been repeatedly picked up for prostitution.
Around the country, runaway and homeless youth organizations are facing the challenge of accommodating more youth as a result of the current economic downturn. The relentless surge of home foreclosures, massive unemployment, stifling consumer debt and bankruptcies are conspiring to break up families and force more young people to the streets, youth workers say.
“Unfortunately, there has been a drastic increase” in young people needing emergency shelter, says Maria Mayola, director of community relations for Covenant House Florida in Orlando. “For two and a half to three months, we were well over capacity. We have been making special arrangements, using our chapel to accommodate more youth. For the first time in our history, we are operating off a waiting list.”
Steve Jella, associate executive director of San Diego Youth Services, says he’s seen a marked increase in youth seeking services for a variety of reasons, most of which can be associated with our troubled economy.
“Some of the programs I serve here focus on the eastern part of our county, which encompasses urban and rural areas. We’re noticing a lot of trends. [One community] has one of the highest foreclosure rates in the county and at the same time, it also has the highest rate of where parolees go. So there are a lot of youth and families that we traditionally serve now coming in with significantly more severe problems,” he says.
More youth need mental-health care, which Jella attributes to high-stress environments in the home. More are coming for quick fixes: a much-needed bed for two to four nights while families get help. With unprecedented numbers of layoffs in the area as well, he says that schools and the police are referring youth to his organization more frequently after they turn up for delinquent behavior. Because of the multiple streams through which youth come, the economy can sometimes be a hidden contributor.
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