Covenant House International’s Post

Thank you Bob's Discount Furniture!

Covenant House Georgia CEO Dr. Alie Redd is returning to serve as co-chair of the Atlanta Mayor's LGBTQ+ Advisory Board! Almost a third of Covenant House residents identify as LGBTQ+, and we're proud to have Dr. Redd advocating for queer youth in Atlanta. She says: “Atlanta stands as a beacon of hope and inclusivity, and the undisputed LGBTQ capital of the south. The Mayor’s LGBTQ+ Advisory Board is proud to continue advising and supporting Mayor Dickens, the Division of LGBTQ+ Affairs and City officials.”

A decision on Johnson v Grants Pass is expected today. The most important Supreme Court case on homelessness in the last 40 years will decide whether cities and towns have the right to fine and arrest people for sleeping outside with basic protections like a blanket and pillow. Check in here for updates and analysis as the ruling approaches. “As someone who was homeless as a teenager, I can say first-hand how difficult it is to get back on your feet. Creating criminal penalties to address homelessness will only worsen the issue and prevent the opportunity for those to get ahead. Instead of eliminating homelessness, these penalties exacerbate the struggles homeless populations face, making it harder for them to overcome their circumstances.” - Dan Freed, Former resident of Covenant House New York

With Covenant House board member Ariana DeBose hosting the Tonys tonight, we thought it'd be the perfect time to tell you about this summer's Sleep Out: Stage & Screen! Our supporters from the Broadway, film, and television industries will give up their beds on August 18th, sleeping outside to raise funds and awareness. Their uncomfortable night turns into safe shelter for youth facing homelessness. If you want to support your favorite actor's campaign, or if you're an industry professional and want to participate, you can get involved at https://lnkd.in/eb-9V_vp

18% of young men facing homelessness report being a parent. This Father's Day, we're honoring the nurturing, loving fathers at Covenant House. Our board member and former resident Jason Villanueva knows how valuable it is to be provided with care, concern, and love. Experiencing those things during his time at Covenant House profoundly impacted his goals for fatherhood. As he says: "it all started here, the calling to help somebody in need. As a father and husband, I want to keep doing this." Happy Father's Day to all.

After #CovHillDay on Wednesday, our advocacy team participated in some key meetings in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, including a meeting at the White House to discuss opportunities for more affordable-for-youth housing. Alison Kear, CEO of Covenant House Alaska, Bill Bedrossian, CEO of Covenant House International, and Lori Maloney, SVP Public Policy + Advocacy met with with Laurie Schoemann, Senior Advisor Housing Policy, White House Domestic Policy Council and Catherine Powell, Senior Advisor on Gender-based Violence.

Kaleef Starks, a former Peer Navigator at Covenant House California, has an amazing story to tell. Having experienced homelessness herself, she's now giving back and modeling success for Black trans youth as a multimedia personality. This profile dives into how she overcame challenges, got an amazing education for herself, and built a career in Hollywood. And if you're looking for a new source of lifestyle & pop culture news, make sure to check out her podcast The Stark Effect!

It's a startling reality that 40% of youth in the U.S. facing homelessness identify as LGBTQ+. We want to give a huge shout out to all the corporate social impact leaders who joined us this week for a discussion around addressing the disproportionate challenges faced by LGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness in this country. This exclusive forum focused on innovative approaches companies can take to mobilize their resources to provide safe shelter, care, and opportunities for this vulnerable population. These types of discussions are critical because they bring us closer to a just society where young people experiencing homelessness are not defined by their circumstances nor held back from achieving their goals and dreams.  Special thanks to our moderator, David Ambroz, Best-selling author and national poverty & childwelfare advocate, and experienced panelists: Aldrinana Leung, Senior Manager, The Starbucks Foundation, Alieizoria (Alie) Redd, Ph.D., LCSW, CEO, Covenant House Georgia, Benaiah Hoyt, Covenant House Alum, for contributing to this valuable conversation. If you are interested in learning more about how your company can get involved, drop us a note at [email protected]. 

It was a big day on the Hill for our advocacy team! We spoke to an huge range of Congresspeople, staffers, and aides about all aspects of the fight to end youth homelessness. The central message of #CovHillDay was advocating for the Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention program, which supports our transitional living services. The program is wildly underfunded though, with only 25% of qualified applicants receiving support. We urged everyone we talked to to make sure this essential program gets the resources it needs. Board member Mark Hennessy shared how meaningful it is “being at the table with legislators on issues of critical importance to our federation. And doing it with CEOs from across the Covenant House affiliates really amplified the message.”