Know the Facts
It is unimaginable that there are kids right now, in our own communities, completely on their own without any support. These kids are our Nation’s invisible homeless population, undercounted for years, hiding out in cars and abandoned buildings, in motels and on couches. We know that the number of teens and young adults living on the streets is only growing.
The facts we can’t ignore:
4.2 million experience homelessness each year in the U.S.
Source: NCSL/National Conference of State Legislatures
5,000 will die due to assault, illness, or suicide each year
Source: Safe Harbor Center
69% suffer from mental health problems
Source: Covenant House
1 in 5 will become victim to sex and labor trafficking or both
Source: National Network for Youth
75% will drop out of school
Source: National Network for Youth
120% more likely to experience homelessness if LGBTQ+
Source: Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago
Every day, youth are exposed to:
Human trafficking
Acute diseases
Sexual assault
Physical assaultUnwanted pregnancies
Drugs and alcohol misuse
Untreated mental illness
Suicide
You can learn more about youth homelessness from the National Network for Youth, the National Alliance to End Homelessness, and the US Interagency Council on Homelessness.