Living on the streets is hard, I know, because I have been there. Like many other young adults, I found myself in a situation far beyond my control. I was not alone. There are countless homeless young adults on the street every night, with no where to go, no one to help them. Many of them end up addicted to drugs, selling their bodies on their street, or murdered. 5,000 homeless teens die every year, from violence, overdose or death. Every day is a battle for survival for them. A battle, which no one wants to lose. For me, what saved me, was a youth shelter.
Youth shelters are often vital to the survival of kids who end up the streets. For those effected by homelessness between the ages of 16 and 24 a homeless shelter could make all the difference.
In my personal experience the shelter did more then give me a place to stay while I tried to get back onto my feet. They gave me a voice. There were people there who I could talk to, and they didn’t judge you for what you had done in the past. In my time at the shelter, I grew to love the people there. They were my mentors, and they taught me how to be an adult. They taught responsibility and domestic duties.
Shelters run primarily on donations. They accept everything from food, blankets to cash. Without places like that, the homeless teens of America would have little hope.