“It was a year ago that I became homeless. I’m very fortunate to have programs such as Jovenes that have kept me stable. It’s been a hard fought year, but now I have my own apartment, a safe place to stay, and people who have taken care of me. Being homeless is very humbling, but now the feeling I have most is thankfulness. Being homeless in LA is hard, I used to think that everyone would go to skid row. But after sleeping in cars and alleys, I found a different path, and a lot of people helped me along my way. If I’ve been able to do all this in a year, the question is what else can I do? I’m excited to get on with my life.” -Matthew, age 23
“Jovenes means a lot in my life. It means recognition, effort, dedication and progress. I used to lack motivation; I used to think that no one would recognize my “esfuerzos (efforts).” Jovenes has always granted me the support that I need, making me feel that I’m family, that I’m not worthless, that I’m smart enough and even unstoppable.” -Enrique, age 22
“Jovenes opened my eyes. I never knew there was a lot of homeless youth out there until I was one of them. I learned about the hardships and dangers of being young and living in the streets such as having to resort to selling one’s body in order to survive. Learning about all that young people out there who don’t have a place to stay made me appreciate what I have at home with my family as well as realize how blessed I am. Jovenes helped me with job-hunting, interviewing skills, and my resume among others. Nobody ever taught me about that stuff.” -Daniel, age 20
“Since I came to Jovenes, my life has changed so much. Today I have two jobs and also go to school instead of being in a gang. At Jovenes the staff talk to us, listen to us and are really interested in learning what are we about. They ask us about our goals and dreams and listen to the things that we want to do. Jovenes has helped me believe that no matter who you are or where you come from, you can be anything you want. I believe that everyone wants to be somebody. I’ve learned that it’s the problems that we go through that make us stronger. I believe that all it takes is the courage inside you to show who you are.” -David, age 18
Our youth all have different experiences and histories, yet all of them come to Jovenes with one goal in mind: to take control of their lives so they can improve their future. Whether they are immigrants, emancipated from the foster-care system, on probation, run-away’s, or simply have no where else to turn, Jovenes provide an opportunity for them to visualize and accomplish their goals.
Each year in California, there are over 200,000 youth between the ages of 18-24 who experience homelessness, with a sizable portion of this population hidden away in Los Angeles. Each youth has a different story, but share common experiences that led them to fall through the cracks, including family breakdown and systems failure (programs such as child welfare, the foster care system, and juvenile corrections) that leave youth devoid of support when they turn 18. Los Angeles County has 1/3 of the emancipated foster youth population in California, and half of this population experiences homelessness during their first two years out of the system- over 40% of youth housed at Jovenes have been in the system at one point. Homeless transition aged youth experience higher rates of incarceration, physical and sexual abuse, mental health problems, and other barriers that prevent them from accessing a positive future. In Boyle Heights and East Los Angeles, issues of isolation are compounded by the effects of immigration.
