Fight homelessness & support Worcester's youth.

Join me in supporting real change for Worcester's youth. You can help create a pathway out of homelessness for these youth by supporting StandUp for Kids.

Our mission is to end the cycle of youth homelessness. StandUp For Kids continuously strives to provide life-saving and outreach services to run away, homeless, and street-dependent youth ages 13 to 25, as well as youth who are at risk of becoming homeless. Our volunteers go out on the streets to locations where homeless youth congregate, distributing food, clothing, hygiene products, resource information, referrals, and offering a toll-free number where the kids can reach a counselor. StandUp For Kids has no religious or political affiliation and helps youth regardless of their race, religion, sexual orientation, nationality, ethnicity, or background.

Because most homeless youth try to avoid attention, many people are unaware of the extent of the problem. However, The National Alliance to End Homelessness estimates that every year, as many as 550,000 youth up to age 24 are homeless for more than a week. Indeed, more than 1,400 children between the ages of 10 and 17 will run away from home every day in the United States. We know from studies that 46 percent of runaway and homeless youth reported being physically abused and up to 80 percent of runaway and homeless girls reported having been sexually or physically abused.

We have an Outreach Center in Worcester that allows us to provide services to youth struggling with the burdens of homeless while providing a safe haven where they can connect with caring adults and learn valuable life skills that will empower them to make good decisions for their future well-being.

Just a small donation will go a long way to helping me meet my goal for StandUp for Kids.