Who We Are

StandUp for Kids is a national non-profit organization dedicated to ending the cycle of youth homelessness in local communities like yours. Since 1990, we have cared for homeless and at-risk youth by transitioning them from crisis to connection. We give our youth a sense of safety, hope, and belonging through housing support, mentoring, drop-in centers, and street outreach. We bear the highest independent ratings for fiscal stewardship of all donations.

We appreciate partners like Kia Motors of America, for recognizing us as leaders in the fight against youth homelessness. And we are honored to be recipients of their fundraising efforts through #YardsAgainstHomelessness and #GiveItEverything campaigns. 

Affiliations & Partner Organizations

StandUp for Kids is proud to align with, endorse, and/or serve in coalition with a number of youth-serving and advocacy organizations, including these at the national level:

Mission and Vision

Mission

Ending the cycle of youth homelessness. 

We do this in cities across America, one youth at a time.

Vision

We strive to build communities where all youth know care, feel loved and have a support system to help them move quickly from surviving to thriving.

Values

  • We believe in promoting a way of treating homeless youth that is unique and infectious.
  • Our role is to be care advocates, not case managers; friends, not service providers; community organizers, not the sole source of respite.
  • We treat each youth as an individual capable of making one’s own decisions.
  • We provide all youth with voice and choice.
  • We respect the individual diversity, beliefs and decisions of each youth.
  • We possess integrity and commitment. We aim never to make a promise we cannot keep.
  • We interact as role models.
  • We find creative and frugal solutions to a wide range of individual and community needs.
  • We forge connections and empower local communities and our nation to help homeless youth.
  • We are humble about our roles as volunteers; tireless in our efforts to help youth in need; and dedicated to our mission and vision.