COVID-19 infection rates have gone down, a large portion of the population has been vaccinated and many schools are resuming in-person learning this fall. Yay! Students are excited to go back to school, and for most, while they understood the importance of going remote during the pandemic, they did not particularly enjoy online school. Many students fell behind.

Now imagine being a homeless youth. You can no longer go to a coffee shop, or hang out at your local library, both places with stable Wi-Fi. Public seating areas are closed. Maybe you remained in an unsafe situation for housing and to complete schoolwork, or maybe you sacrificed that housing for safety. Perhaps you spent the pandemic at one of Maine’s three youth shelters, the closest of which is over thirty minutes away from Brunswick. Or maybe you spent it couch surfing, crashing at a friend’s house distant from school and friends.

For many homeless youths, the pandemic meant complete detachment from school, friends and community. Most youth experiencing homelessness have some sort of support network in place: friends, teachers, classmates or teammates. However, many of these natural connections may have been disrupted during the pandemic and may continue to be disrupted as the pandemic plays out. Many homeless youths still have no access to safe housing near their school and local neighborhood.

With the pandemic’s oncoming resolution, homeless youth are regaining an invaluable resource in the reopening of educational institutions, but many still need safe and stable housing. They still need a network of supportive adults to help connect them with resources and the tools they need to achieve their future goals. This is where Housing Resources for Youth ’s Host Home program comes into play.

As youth return to school, we anticipate many more homeless youths will connect with our program; schools are a huge entry point. Housing Resources for Youth works to reinforce the healthy connections a youth experiencing homelessness already has and builds on that support network by creating additional safe, stable, and supportive relationships. These fortified support networks are made up not only of Housing Resources for Youth staff and existing friends and teachers, but also of local community members and neighbors. Housing Resources for Youth loves its current host families, and we are always excited to have more community members join our program as hosts.

One of the many things the pandemic has prevented Housing Resources for Youth from accomplishing is a proper introduction to the many members of the Midcoast community. We are excited to be able to safely host an in-person meet-and-greet event.

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On Wednesday, Aug. 11, at 4:30 p.m., Housing Resources for Youth is hosting an event at People Plus in Brunswick. This event is for community members to learn about Housing Resources for Youth ‘s Host Home program, how it is ensuring access to safe and stable housing for homeless and at-risk students, and how you and your neighbors can get involved. With the help of local community members, Housing Resources for Youth has already positively impacted many youths in our local community, and we are excited to continue to grow our community of youths and volunteers.

At the event, staff will discuss our program, and provide ample time for answering any questions people have regarding Housing Resources for Youth. This is a great opportunity for all community members to learn about what we do, even those who may not currently be at the point where they can volunteer to become a host home. We hope this event will be a great learning opportunity for those who are unfamiliar with the concept of host homes (we will also have yummy snacks!). What is a host home? Before beginning my fellowship with Housing Resources for Youth, “Host Home” was an unfamiliar concept to me. I’ve since become very excited about the idea. I hope you will embark upon the same learning journey I have begun.

At the event we will be discussing why Housing Resources for Youth is using the host home model as opposed to a youth shelter. Why do current Housing Resources for Youth hosts find being a host family to be an enjoyable and meaningful experience? Why is Housing Resources for Youth ’s host home program a solution for homeless youth in our local communities specifically? All these questions will be answered at our event! Housing Resources for Youth staff and current hosts will share the unique and meaningful experiences that make them love being a part of Housing Resources for Youth .

Can’t make it to the presentation but still want to learn about Housing Resources for Youth? No problem! After the presentation Housing Resources for Youth staff, board members, and current host parents will be available to talk about Housing Resources for Youth , answer specific questions, or just say hello. We are excited to get a chance to meet more community members and to welcome new hosts and youth to our program this fall. We can’t wait to meet some of you in a few weeks!

Ashlynn Autrey is a 2021 Maine Community Fellow. Giving Voice is a weekly collaboration among four local non-profit service agencies to share information and stories about their work in the community.

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