AMBASSADORS OF HOPE AND OPPORTUNITY PROJECT
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Mission Statement
AHO is transforming lives and building youth leaders with homeless teens and young adults, ages 16 to 25 who come from families of childhood abuse, violence, addiction and are without funding streams to help them.
About This Cause
For the past 19 years, Ambassadors of Hope and Opportunity (AHO) has been 'Transforming Lives and Building Youth Leaders' with Marin’s homeless teens and young adults ages 16 to 25 without families to ‘beat the odds” and succeed in life. AHO was founded as a “calling of the heart” to end youth homelessness, the largest growing homeless population, that no one else was addressing. These forgotten young people in our community come from families of abuse, addiction, mental illness, youth who have been sex-trafficked or rejected from their families because of their sexual orientation or parents incarcerated without the capacity to parent. To date, AHO has successfully served over 3,824 youth who are now living a life of hope, purpose and meaning and are in stable housing and achieving their life goals because of the support of AHO. Young people enter the program at ages 18 or younger, and are offered a 5+ year commitment, or whatever is needed, of ongoing comprehensive support and leadership opportunities as they heal from their traumatic family histories to become contributing adults and future leaders for a one-time cost of $2,000 per youth. All AHO youth are completing their educations, many from 4 year schools like UC Berkeley, or in training in a career in one of the trades. Each youth receives over 600+ hours of service each year including, housing with a host family or a room or apartment with peers, 10 employers that fast track youth into employment, 5 top dentists that offer major and minor dental care, 4 professional trauma therapists that work with youth for as long as they need, adult mentors in their field of interest, cell phones, P.O. Box; everything a parent would typically provide including leadership opportunities and a community of their peers on the AHO Youth Leadership Team that design youth-led projects to bring awareness to this growing issue in Marin and nationally. All services are provided at no cost to youth. The AHO model is now being sought after by communities in Rohnert Park, Joshua Tree and Truckee, CA and Melbourne, Australia for its preventative, youth-led, cost effective program model that is leading the way in ending youth homelessness through community engagement of individuals, faith communities, agencies, organizations, businesses and small foundations. AHO AWARDS & NOMINATIONS AHO’s Founder was honored with the National Jefferson Award for Humanitarian Service in 2007. Also in 2007, Vince Chew, a previously homeless youth served by AHO, was honored with the Heart of Marin Award in the adult category, as Volunteer of the Year. In 2008, Peter Coyote narrated the AHO documentary film titled, “Youth Homelessness: A Growing Trend,” which aired twice on PBS and was screened before the California Legislature. In 2011, AHO received the Hero of Marin Award for spearheading a groundbreaking, successful program model and for persevering in addressing the growing trend of youth homelessness in Marin. In 2016, AHO received a Founder’s Award as a role model for its insight, foresight and courage to bring this issue to the community’s attention. In 2017, AHO’s Founder was honored with the Marin Women’s Hall of Fame Award in the category of Social Change for her innovative, preventative, cost-effective, youth-friendly and community-driven program for homeless youth that offers a successful model for other communities. In January 2018, Macie Millstein, a youth volunteer on the AHO Youth Leadership Team, received the Heart of Marin Award as Youth Volunteer of the Year. Also in 2018, 2019 & 2020 AHO was nominated for Heart of Marin Award in 2 categories: ---Innovation, by Dr. David Coon, College of Marin President --Nonprofit Excellence by Mary Jane Burke, Superintendent of Marin County schools. In 2020 AHO was awarded the 100Marin Award in Public Health for its life-changing innovative, personalized program model working with homeless and sex-trafficked young people.