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A Way Home America: An Unprecedented Group of Stakeholders has Come Together to End Youth Homelessness

A Way Home America (AWHA), a new national initiative to build the movement to prevent and end homelessness among young people, formally launched on June 3. Together we are building on Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness. National Safe Place Network is thrilled to be a part of the effort, adding our local knowledge and expertise.  

Youth homelessness remains a persistent challenge for our nation.But we are at a critical time to leverage local, state, and national efforts to end youth homelessness.

Efforts in local communities throughout the country are underway, efforts which often build on decades of experience with young people. The time is also ripe because federal agencies are addressing this issue in greater coordination than in the past and there is increased philanthropic commitment, research focus and public awareness.

The launch of A Way Home America corresponds with the White House Policy Briefing on Ending Youth Homelessness co-hosted by the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness and the True Colors Fund.

NSPN is a part of this national collaboration because we know that we are jointly responsible and must work together.  AWHA is unique in that it includes the involvement of over 50 different organizations addressing youth homelessness.  Federal partners are engaged and at the table, including the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness which leads the coordinated federal response to homelessness and its member agencies. For more details, please visit www.awayhomeamerica.org

We must work together to leverage this momentum. In the coming year we will:

  • Learn from and authentically engage young people who have experienced homelessness about how to solve the problem.  
  • Identify actions and policies necessary to eliminate youth and young adult homelessness.  We’ll then be able to speak in a collective voice about what is needed.  
  • Accelerate our efforts in local communities by launching 100-Day Challenges that set ambitious goals for housing homeless youth and by sharing successful outcomes for replication nation-wide.
  • Elevate the issue of youth homelessness nationally.  

NSPN wants you to join the effort. Sign up for the A Way Home America newsletter at www.awayhomeamerica.org, join our social networks, connect with us and spread the word.