Our Youth
Most people assume that homeless kids are runaways who don’t want to follow the rules at home or juvenile delinquents who are in trouble. The youth who we support are kids who’ve had to remove themselves from their living situation in order to survive. They are trying to change their lives because they want to live and thrive.
When a child is sleeping in a car, an abandoned building, a dumpster or under a bridge because it is a safer place than home, there is major cause for concern
Ending the Cycle of Youth Homelessness
The Pink Giraffe House believes that there is no good reason for a child to be denied the opportunity of a safe home environment. They are all entitled to regular meals, clean clothes, a place to take a hot shower, and the support of caring adults.
13 years old: the average age of first homelessness
35% live in homes where sexual abuse is the reason for their departure
Approximately 26% leave home due to a parent or parents with substance abuse issues
40% of youth living on the streets are gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, or transgender (LGBT). They are homeless because their parents, even though stable, did not approve of their identity and kicked them out.
Youth aged 12-17 are at higher risk for homelessness than adults nation-wide
1 in 3 teens living on the street will be lured into prostitution within 36 hours of leaving home.
32%: homeless youth who have attempted suicide