We help homeless youth by:

• Serving meals at our outreach center in downtown Portland - we expect to serve over 14,000 this year.
• Operating a fully-staffed residential home program.
• Providing a sense of "home" many have never experienced before. 
• Offering a scholarship program to support their education.
• Helping youth obtain full time employment and moving on to independent living situations.

True Stories:

"After searching for happiness at the bottom of a whiskey bottle, I realized I was destined to become a hopeless alcoholic like my uncle I never knew. I moved to Portland hoping for a new way of life and found it through Transitional Youth. Not only have I graduated from Clark College, I have begun a career in welding. Transitional Youth really helped me change my life. Thank you for the opportunity to start over."

"I left home as a teenager because I couldn't take the physical abuse any longer. I did a ton of meth, and to pay for it I was doing a lot of stealing -- even from people I knew. I finally ended up in Portland and someone told me about Transitional Youth. I learned I could come to the Outreach Center for a clean pair of socks, a hot meal, and for Bible study. Eventually, I became a volunteer and soon after was offered a chance to move into Junction House. That opportunity changed my life. Not only does it provide me a "normal" address I can put on a resume, but a quiet place where I can study for my GED and get a little help with math. It means a safe place to leave my stuff instead of carrying it around with me all day and sleeping with it under my head at night. It's a real home, with guidance and support, and most important -- stability. I feel safe here. Thank you for believing in me."