Los Angeles YOUTH Network: Empowering Homeless Adolescents

The Los Angeles Youth Network provides street outreach, emergency shelter, food, education, and transitional living options in a safe environment. Over 7,500 homeless adolescents will sleep on the streets of Los Angeles nightly, where they are at risk to falling to drugs, prostitution, and disease – predominantly HIV/AIDS.

LAYN wants to bring these adolescents out of their violent, filthy squats where most grow up to be on welfare or criminals. Since 1984 they have worked to end homeless one teenager at a time who has been abused, neglected, and abandoned. They want each homeless adolescent to transition completely out of street life and push towards functioning in society permanently.

Homeless Youth and Teenagers Statistics

• Over 1.3 million youth are homeless at any given time each year.
• 1 out of 8 adolescents under 18 will run away from home and become homeless, needing help from charities.
• 12-17 year olds are at a higher risk of becoming homeless than adults are.
• Before leaving home, 43% of the homeless adolescence report being beaten with 25% requesting sexual activity.
• 65% of emancipated foster youth lack stable housing.

The importance of charities like the Los Angeles YOUTH Network

Give Back to the Los Angeles YOUTH Network

There are many ways to give back to the Los Angeles YOUTH Network. Volunteering can be a long term or short term commitment; you can work doing recreation, administrative duties, day projects, fundraising events, educational programs, street outreach, meal sponsorship or mentor programs. See other volunteer opportunities with LAYN and sign up.

You can also donate to the Los Angeles Youth Network if you don’t have time for volunteering. As little as $5 feeds youth for a day.

To contact the Los Angeles Youth Network you can call 323-467-8466 or reach them at 1754 Taft Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90028. Their email is info@layn.org.