Vegas homeless youth drop-in center expands
An organization that helps homeless youth in Southern Nevada is expanding to be able to provide more services for the vulnerable population.
The Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth will expand its drop-in center thanks to a $350, 000 grant from Nevada Women’s Philanthropy and a construction donation of a minimum of $175,000 from HomeAid Southern Nevada. The expansion consists of 6,200 square feet, which used to be the house next door to the drop-in center.
State Sen. Ruben Kihuen, D-Las Vegas, Clark County Commissioner Mary Beth Scow and Arash Ghafoori, executive director of the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth, among others, spoke during the groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday morning.
Many people don’t realize how severe youth homelessness is in the community, Ghafoori said. The organization provides services such as food, clothes and transitional housing to get the youth off the streets.
“Getting them off the streets today before they become tomorrow’s homeless adults,” he said.
The Clark County School District reported more than 8,000 homeless students this past school year, according to Nevada Partnership. That represents a 21 percent increase from the previous school year. The district’s count includes youth living with extended family or in weekly hotels.
The 2014 Southern Nevada Homeless Census & Survey found a total of 1,601 unaccompanied youth between the ages of 18 and 24.
The census surveyed 40 children under the age of 18 who reported being unaccompanied homeless children — children who are out in the streets without a guardian. Thirty-five of them reported being unsheltered. The surveys aim to get a better picture of the specific population.
Contact Yesenia Amaro at yamaro@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0440. Find her on Twitter: @yeseniaamaro.
