Media Advisory

For immediate release: Nov. 15, 2024
Contact: Sandra Wellhausen
(619) 507-2077
swellhausen@sdyouthservices.org

San Diego Youth Services’ Walk Creates Awareness for Youth Homelessness

About 1,800 youth experience homelessness every day in San Diego

What: Youth Runaway and Homelessness Awareness Walk and Rally to raise awareness and funds for children, teens and young adults experiencing homelessness.

When and Where: The walk will take place on Friday, Nov. 15. The walk starts at 2 p.m. at San Diego City Hall with speakers. At 2:15 p.m. participants will then walk to San Diego Youth Services’ TAY Academy, 2220 Broadway, San Diego, CA 92102.

Who: San Diego Youth Services CEO Walter Philips, staff members, youth receiving services and community members.

The rally will feature a short series of speakers, including:

• City Councilmember Stephen Whitburn
• San Diego Youth Services’ CEO Walter Philips
• Alize Satberry, a homelessness advocate and young person who has experienced homelessness

San Diego Youth Services works to end the cycle of homelessness by moving youth into safe and stable housing and providing safe places to live and long-term solutions for children and young adults. The organization also provides wraparound services, including the tools and training youth need to become self-sufficient and create healthy and productive paths in life.

Why: According to the Regional Task Force on Homelessness’ 2024 Point in Time Count, which is a one-day snapshot of the minimum number of San Diegans that experience homelessness, out of the 10,605 people that experience homelessness, 1,795 are youth. This is more than two times as many as the 865 veterans that do not have anywhere to sleep at night.

A majority of the chronically homeless adult population also first experienced homelessness as a young person under 25, making it crucial to break the cycle of homelessness and intervene as early as possible.

Visuals: About 120 youth and staff marching down the street, wearing green and holding self-made posters. The rally will feature well-known community leaders, volunteers and youth.

About San Diego Youth Services

San Diego Youth Services works to end the cycle of homelessness by moving youth into safe and stable housing and providing safe places to live and long-term solutions for children and young adults through shelters, foster homes, community centers and housing. The organization also provides wraparound services, including the tools and training youth need to become self-sufficient and create healthy and productive paths in life. Through prevention, early intervention and treatment, San Diego Youth Services also helps youth before they need higher levels of care or experience homelessness.

The nonprofit organization serves more than 14,000 youth annually and has helped stabilize the lives of more than 823,000 youth living in San Diego County, since its founding in 1970.

To learn more, visit sdyouthservices.org.

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