YES Receives Large Federal Grants from Family and Youth Services Bureau

Youth Emergency Services (YES; www.yesomaha.org) is proud to announce it has received two $200,000 three-year federal grants from the Family and Youth Services Bureau from Runaway and Homeless Youth funding for both its Transitional Living Program (TLP) and Maternity Group Home (MGH).

The funds support YES’ life-changing TLP and MGH by not only helping provide housing for homeless youth but also funding prevention and self-sufficiency initiatives to eventually help these youth live independently and safely. YES delivers the TLP and MGH programs using a highly-qualified and diverse staff, a wealth of community partners and resources as well as a variety of increasingly independent living options for youth.

YES served more than 3,800 youth in fiscal year 2017-18 through its continuum of care services. During this time, 48 youth were served by TLP but 175 were turned away due to lack of funding. This three-year grant will allow YES to serve between 42 and 48 youth per year between the ages of 16 and 21. Many of them live without a safe, stable home environment. YES’ TLP provides this on a temporary basis while they get on their feet and work toward securing more permanent housing opportunities.

In addition, the grant for MGH will allow YES to continue to serve 45 homeless or near-homeless mothers and their children per year over the next three years—helping them become more self-sufficient and learning the skills that will help them keep the cycle of homelessness from continuing.

For many of these women, MGH is their only option for remaining with their children and getting their lives back on track. The home is a family-style residence that can accommodate up to 10 people at a time with any combination of mothers and children. Services in the program include supervised housing, life skills training, parenting training, mental health counseling, medical screenings, and referrals.

Nebraska Congressman Don Bacon, a co-chair of the Congressional Foster Youth Caucus, was in attendance for a press conference October 9 at the YES Street Outreach Center. He toured the facility, learned more about the programs and services YES provides to youth experiencing homelessness and near-homelessness, and then addressed the media at a press conference. Bacon supported YES in bipartisan federal legislation this last year. He was the lead Republican sponsor for the appropriations bill for the Homeless Children and Youth Act.

Youth Emergency Services is the only nonprofit in Omaha with the sole mission to help youth in the community who are experiencing homelessness and near-homelessness. To learn more, visit www.yesomaha.org or call (402) 345-5187.