San Diego Youth Services CEO Walter Philips and Associate Executive Director Steven Jella ran 50K (31 miles) on Nov. 30 to raise awareness of homeless youth during National Homeless Youth Awareness Month. The run passed 12 of SDYS locations across San Diego County.

There are more than 1,500 homeless youth on the streets of San Diego every night and that number is increasing during the pandemic.  The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the severity of San Diego County’s heartbreaking and invisible youth homelessness problem.

SDYS works to end the cycle of homelessness. Through our services, we provide safe places to live and long-term solutions for teens and young adults who otherwise would have nowhere to go.

We also offer the tools and training homeless youth need to become self-sufficient to create a healthy and productive path in life. Our work embraces all youth, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity, religion or sexual orientation.

Founded as one of the nation’s first shelters for homeless youth, San Diego Youth Services has helped improve the lives of more than 797,000 homeless, runaway and abused youth. Our dream is for every child to have a safe home in a safe community, free from gangs, drugs and violence. We will not stop until there are no more homeless children in San Diego.

Read more about our homeless housing & support services