Media Advisory

For immediate release: Nov. 16, 2022

Contact: Sandra Wellhausen
(619) 507-2077
swellhausen@sdyouthservices.org

Youth Runaway and Homelessness Awareness Walk and Rally Puts a Spotlights on Youth Homelessness

What: Youth Runaway and Homelessness Awareness Walk and Rally to raise awareness for homelessness, as part of the YMCA of San Diego County RHY Solidarity Journey Speaking Series

When:  Nov. 17, 2022

• The walk starts at 11 a.m. at San Diego Youth Services TAY Academy, 2220 Broadway, San Diego, CA 92102. Participants will walk west on Broadway and turn north on Park Boulevard and meet directly at the fountain in Balboa Park.
• The rally will start at noon at the big fountain in Balboa Park.

Who: San Diego Youth Services staff members, including San Diego Youth Services CEO Walter Philips,  community members and youth will to Balboa Park.

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

• County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher
• San Diego Youth Services CEO Walter Philips
• San Diego Youth Services Volunteer Alizé Satberry
• California Coalition for Youth Executive Director Jevon Wilkes
• Workforce Partnership Vice President of Client Services Shaina Gross
• SANDAG Regional Planner Zaccary Bradt
• Youth Will Youth Advocate Claire Snyder
• OTTA United Executive Director, Aidan Lin
• YMCA of San Diego County Association Director of Community Engagement and Belonging, Justin Lipford and Youth Systems Director, David Baker

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’ 2022 Point in Time Count, which is a one-day snapshot of the minimum number of San Diegans that experience homelessness, out of the 8,427 people that experience homelessness, 1,842 are youth. This is more than two times as many as the 686 veterans that do not have anywhere to sleep at night. This rally puts a spotlight on youth homelessness and brings awareness to this issue.

Visuals: About 30 youth and staff marching down the street, wearing green and holding self-made posters. The rally will feature well-know community leaders, volunteers and youth.

About San Diego Youth Services

San Diego Youth Services is a nonprofit organization serving more than 17,000 youth annually who are vulnerable, homeless or abused. SDYS has helped stabilize the lives of more than 797,000 youth living in San Diego County since its founding in 1970. SDYS is working to end homelessness, prevent delinquency and school failure, break the cycle of child abuse and neglect and promote mental health and addiction recovery.

To learn more, visit www.sdyouthservices.org

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