Before Jared* came to Youth Homes, his world had become very small. At just 10 years old, he had already been removed from two schools because of physical aggression and behavioral challenges connected to his autism. He struggled to regulate his emotions, often reacting with tantrums, whining, and aggression toward even the adults trying to help him.

When you shop at Youth Homes Thrift Shop, every item you purchase makes a difference; not just to your wardrobe or your home, but to someone’s life. To continuously offer fresh inventory, our team actively seeks new and sustainable partnerships to keep our shelves filled, and give customers more opportunities to shop and make a difference.

The young people who come into the care of Youth Homes often have no idea about the incredible support community they’re joining – but they quickly find out. Whether it’s back-to-school shoes and supplies, holiday gifts, or anything in between, our dedicated crew always provides and reminds our clients how supported they truly are. 

The young people who come into the care of Youth Homes often have no idea about the incredible support community they’re joining – but they quickly find out. Whether it’s back-to-school shoes and supplies, holiday gifts, or anything in between, our dedicated crew always provides and reminds our clients how supported they truly are. 

Youth Homes’ Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Program (STRTP) provides safety and care for youth who are unable to thrive in their homes. Our team of nineteen residential staff work around the clock to provide a healing environment for our youth, yet few have the opportunity to see the tremendous effort that keeps the program and our home running smoothly.  

We all know back-to-school season can be a stressful time, even for youth with healthy home lives. While we work year-round to support our youth, our community also steps up to ease their transition back to school with new shoes, backpacks, and supplies. 

Meet Louie Jacobus, LMFT, our Director of Clinical Operations. Approaching a decade of service with Youth Homes, Louie has witnessed our organization’s growth firsthand.

To you, our amazing friends - thank you for showing up. Your generosity spans lifetimes, as the hope you’ve helped to spark in our youth will continue to benefit them every single day.

We want you to know exactly how you make a difference, and who you are making a difference to, which is why we create annual Impact Reports. Our Impact Report for the 2022-23 fiscal year, Growth & Gratitude, will give you an overview of the goodness Youth Homes was able to create this year with your unwavering support.

Youth Homes continues to prioritize enrichment because we know how critical it is for youth healing. It is a known fact that youth learn through play, and this year we’ve watched our clients express themselves, learn social skills, explore their passions, and realize just how capable they are through the enrichment opportunities they’ve had with Youth Homes.

Our fall fundraiser, Community Cares, is in full swing here at Youth Homes, and we cannot help but reflect on how lucky we are to have a community who is so ready to show up for our youth through their own amazing efforts!

From clothing donation drives to gift card collections and birthday gift deliveries, it is always a special occasion when our community is able to support our youth in such a tangible way.

In April of this year, our store expanded to provide more space, hold more treasures, and create more impact for young people served by Youth Homes. What made this project all the more special is that it was run by one of the young adults who receives our services.

On the morning of June 3rd, a community full of people gathered in the center of their town and spent the morning making a huge impact, simply because they care.

This past Saturday was one giant labor of love from Youth Homes’ staff, volunteers, and larger community. It is not extremely often that we have the opportunity to all gather in person, hug each other, enjoy a meal and laugh together – but this weekend was one of those opportunities, and we are so grateful for it!