YOUTH FUTURES
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Mission Statement
Youth Futures provides safe shelter, collaborative resources, respectful guidance and diverse support to homeless, unaccompanied, runaway and at-risk youth in Utah. Founded in 2011 by Kristen Mitchell and Scott Catuccio, Youth Futures achieves its mission by providing emergency shelter facilities, aftercare, drop-in services and street outreach to RHY and conducting community awareness. Utah’s first Residential Temporary Youth Shelter opened in Ogden in February 2015. A second shelter opened in St. George in October 2018, with a third shelter opening in Cedar City in May 2022. Youth Futures Cedar City also opened a transitional living program (TLP) for TAY in September 2022. With 44 emergency overnight and temporary residential beds for RHY (ages 12-18) and a nine-unit transitional housing program (TLP) for TAY (ages 16-22), Youth Futures ensures that youth have a safe, affirming and stable place to call home in times of crisis.
About This Cause
Youth Futures is the only nonprofit in Utah providing low-barrier, 24-hour residential shelters for homeless and runaway youth (RHY), specifically between the ages of 12-18, regardless of circumstances, as long as they fall within the age range. With three locations in Utah, we serve approximately 800 RHY with 44 statewide shelter beds. Our youth-centered intervention programs are free of charge and connect RHY with case management, food, housing and resources while guiding them in a loving, supportive and productive way that encourages family reunification and/or permanent self-sufficiency. RHY also receive aftercare services for up to a year upon exiting shelter. Drop-in programming helps give youth a haven from life on the streets and provides essential resources such as hot meals, take-home food bags and weather-appropriate clothing. TAY (ages 16-22), who live at the TLP, receive case management and life skills training to help them better transition into self-sufficiency and adulthood. We also dedicate time for outreach to youth, service providers, school administrators and other nonprofits to increase awareness about programs. Utilizing this program framework, Youth Futures provides low-barrier programs, including shelter and drop-in services, to all youth ages 12-18, regardless of circumstances. Most of our services for TAY fall into the “intervention” category as we help them develop the support and life skills needed to enter adulthood successfully. Since opening its doors, Youth Futures has consistently strived to implement best practices to encourage youth to become more self-sufficient and resilient. Over the years, our programs have been refined and changed. We do not simply shelter and house youth; we help them overcome their unique and personal barriers by assisting them as they personally turn the tide of their own intergenerational poverty and homelessness. We do not simply shelter and house youth; we help them overcome their unique and personal barriers by assisting them as they personally turn the tide of their own intergenerational poverty and homelessness. We employ a cycle of care to meet the needs of RHY, with activities divided into four areas: overnight shelter, drop-in services, street outreach and community awareness. OUTREACH focuses on building rapport with youth living on the streets or those at risk of homelessness while providing them with food, water and hygiene items. We also educate youth service providers about Youth Futures. STABILIZATION includes access to necessities (shelter, food, clothing), intake and suicide assessments and a crisis hotline. INTERVENTION consists of intensive case management, connections to community resources, life-skills classes and medical/mental health care. AFTERCARE includes follow-up case management and ongoing drop-in services for six months after the youth leaves programming. Our programs provide refuge to youth and young adults in crisis while connecting them with the resources they need to build the skills needed to support a healthy future. Our impact goes beyond numbers; it's about transforming lives. Witnessing the journey of youth from despair to hope, from brokenness to self-love, fills us with immense pride. Through heartfelt testimonials, we hear the profound difference we make in young lives. Our shelters become sanctuaries of trust, where they find safety, care, and a chance to dream. We empower them, earn their trust, and help them embrace a brighter future. YOUTH TESTIMONIAL “…they reminded me of what safety felt like ten years prior when that luxury had abandoned me. My regular visits to the shelter were the only times I would be cared for by someone I could trust. Once I entered that building, my soul could finally find rest and a clean pair of jeans. The staff never treated me like I was a contagious burden. …never forcing me to talk, instead, taking time to earn my trust and empower me to stay alive. I felt safe to cry, be silly and dream. … they helped me go back to school and assisted me with an abundance of anxiety. They had no idea how significantly this impacted my life. Coming out of the shadows, I felt secure in my ability to run, not away, but towards a happy and healthy person—the woman that I knew I could be...” –SA