Students Experiencing Homelessness

Each year an estimated 4.2 million youth and young adults experience homelessness in the United States. In Washington there are approximately 13,000 homeless youth and young adults. During the 2018-2019 U.S. school year nearly 40,000 public school students experienced homelessness. Thirty-three percent of Washington youth who have spent time in foster care experience homelessness by the time they turn 21. The Peninsula School District alone, which serves Gig Harbor, has identified over 200 unstably housed middle and high school students.

Harbor Hope Center of Washington provides a solution to break the cycle of homelessness. The Provide-a-Home Program includes two categories of shelter:

1. Two youth shelters staffed by shelter advisors.
2. Multiple host homes where volunteer parents provide food, shelter, and parenting.

The Provide-a-Home Program provides a home, food, life skills, mentoring, drug counseling, career counseling, job assistance and transportation to help young people break the cycle of homelessness. We have provided thousands of bed nights and meals to youth experiencing homelessness and most importantly, education and training to help them become independent and self-sustaining.

The Mentor Program provides adult mentors to unhoused youth and youth at-risk to help them complete their education, find a job and place to live.

We invite you to volunteer and/or donate to continue this important work.