Supporting Homeless Teens Through Youth On Their Own

Thanks to the generosity of our community, LD17 volunteers recently gathered and delivered numerous carloads of supplies to Youth On Their Own (YOTO), a local nonprofit dedicated to helping homeless and at-risk teenagers stay in school. Many of the donations were collected at town halls held by Rep. Kevin Volk in August and included monetary support along with food, clothing, hygiene products, and school supplies. Kevin also helped with the final delivery and took part in a tour conducted by Elizabeth Slater, the CEO of YOTO.

Getting an education takes hard work and dedication, and these essential supplies take some of the burden off homeless students—allowing them to focus more on their education. YOTO serves as a safety net for teens determined to graduate despite enduring extremely difficult circumstances. “Education is an important path out of poverty,” says Elizabeth Slater, “and by working together, we can stop the cycle.”

YOTO also provides support services like counseling, encouragement, and ongoing advisement to teens in the program. The result is an impressive 93% graduation rate!

We are grateful to everyone who contributed and participated in this important effort. Together, we can make a real difference in the lives of students who need it most.

If you’d like to learn more or get involved with YOTO, visit yoto.org.