Your Gift Will Benefit Youth
Will you let our youth know that our community cares?
Your gift will help youth right now.
Home. A place to belong. A warm, quiet room. To feel safe. Simple things that can be elusive for youth who experience houselessness. Haylee, pictured above, was trying to find housing for herself, her younger brother, and her friend Eli.
Because of caring supporters like you, HomePlate was able to help people like Haylee on their journey to find a place to belong. At our new drop-in center, youth can access meals, clothing, showers, and do laundry. They can talk to a trusted adult.
If you would like more information about donating gifts of stock, a qualified charitable distribution from an IRA, or creating a legacy gift, please contact Laura by email laura@homeplateyouth.org or by phone at 971-322-9381.
Looking to make a monthly donation?
By making a monthly donation of any kind, you will be added to the “The Dish” Newsletter. Here you will get all the content of the regular newsletter and additional stories from the HomePlate admin team, other donors, and board members. “The Dish” is a way for us to thank you for your monthly donation.
HomePlate gave me the resources to do what I needed to do … They are there to help you get where you need to go.
— James & Jaxx
The Need
The youth served at HomePlate face significant barriers to securing housing, which is a key factor in obtaining and maintaining employment.
Untreated health care needs, the lack of childcare or transportation to a job site, no previous formal job training or rental history, and lack of financial resources to help alleviate application fees or security deposit requirements play a large role in finding stability.
Our society has created high hurdles for an already marginalized group of young people. Sadly, the stigmas and discrimination they face widen the disconnect from accessing resources when timing can be most impactful.
The Barriers
The youth we serve may experience barriers to employment that others in the job market do not face, such as a lack of previous work experience, an unreliable home address, or a nonexistent professional network.
At HomePlate we seek to provide solutions to these and other barriers. We offer programs to build applicable skills, provide basic amenities that make looking for work more accessible, and run programs that give youth direct opportunities to gain initial work experience that will benefit future job searches.
The Numbers
In the 2018-19 school year, there were 2,857 K-12 homeless students in Washington county, 548 of whom were unaccompanied minors.
On top of these numbers, there are many more youth who are disconnected from schools (and are therefore not counted), have left or graduated school, or are under the radar who also access support at HomePlate.
Medford Area School District
1,251
Portland Public School District
1,217
Beaverton School District
1,971
Due to the economy, the depth of need in our community has risen significantly over the last four years. In working toward economic recovery, many people living with poverty issues need more than just financial resources.
They require educational opportunities, job training, employment, and supportive social networks. Investments in these types of resources and services are essential for our community to prosper and to thrive.
Programs like HomePlate Youth Services are effectively addressing these challenges for many young people living in Washington County.
Lisa Mentesana
Beaverton School District Homeless Liaison
Suburban Poverty
Suburban neighborhoods weren’t designed to respond to financial-crisis and low-income needs like the safety nets seen in urban centers. During the economic recession, middle class families, many struggling with foreclosures and job-loss, were with few resources.
Youth in these families are sometimes struggling with their families, sleeping in cars or shelters; are asked to leave home to relieve their family of a financial obligation (see youth unemployment below); or experience incredible stress in their family unit which may cause concerns for safety.
Homelessness in Washington County is largely invisible. It’s up to community members like you to help educate our social circles and come together as neighbors to help address this issue. In addition to the frequently asked questions below, lots of information can be found on this website.