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“Homeless youth are less likely to be employed or find stable living situations...The overarching factor for the LGBTQIA+ population is they are more likely to have even higher levels of trauma. Their experience of being homeless is being met by service providers who are not necessarily familiar with providing trauma-informed services to this population.” - Nicholas Forge
About 3,300 youth and young adults experience homelessness on any given night in metro Atlanta, and about 40 percent of youth and young adults experiencing homelessness identify as LGBTQIA+.
| Runaway and Homeless Youth (RHY) in Atlanta seeks to provide support and resources to LGBTQ+ youth experiencing housing insecurity and homelessness. RHY is working to establish a comprehensive street outreach program in downtown Atlanta specifically designed to aid this population of homeless and runaway youth with a goal of providing essential needs to a vulnerable group of people. This program should create a safe haven for LGBTQ youth through partnerships with different community organizations and stakeholders that offer additional assistance. Services will include various ways of connecting these individuals with the correct people and information needed to facilitate with helping them overcome their challenges. |
 | We Support Homeless LGBTQ+ Youth |  |
| Kristen Varjas (Associate Dean for Research and Doctoral studies in the College of Education and Human Development at GSU) is collaborating with Nicholas Forge (Clinical Associate Professor at Andrew Young School of Policy Studies) and a dedicated team of students to pursue this project. Past funding from organizations like AmeriCorps has helped RHY in developing some of its efforts, such as the recruitment of 6 current and former GSU students working to extend street outreach opportunities and trauma-informed care. |
Through the help of others, this project will be able to continue its efforts in providing resources to clients along with training for providers working to assist these targeted groups of individuals in need. RHY hopes to carry on a pursuit of security for this vulnerable population.
Through your gift to the Homeless LGBTQ+ Youth Outreach Fund, Georgia State University will provide the assistance and essential resources supporting LGBTQ+ youth and students experiencing homelessness.