Providing Food, Friends and Hope.
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Meals and Mentorship
At our Youth Nights, youth enjoy a family-style dinner together--cooked and served by volunteer Kitchen Teams--with Direct Mentors, sharing stories about their day, telling jokes, or sometimes just enjoy a quiet moment. Our dinners are always fun, full of conversation, and the heart of what we do. We believe that sitting down and eating with our youth as equals helps provide a sense of safety and support they don't always find elsewhere, especially with adults. This is why it is important our Direct Mentors represent our community’s diversity and embody our mission to commit to creating long-lasting, healthy relationships with our youth. Through consistent connections, they foster a positive environment and encourage self advocacy and success-oriented thinking. All volunteers that interact with our youth contribute to showing them what supportive adult relationships look like, and are mindfully aware of the intersections of issues they face through volunteer training and group accountability. Interested in serving up some delicious food to our youth or creating long-term, positive relationships? Learn more about our volunteer opportunities. |
A Space for Expression
When we say all youth are welcome, we mean all. We affirm the unique experiences and identities of our youth by making Youth Night as inclusive as possible. We provide activities that inspire creativity, encourage growth and learning, or provide the opportunity for self expression. Game nights, bingo, resume writing, poetry slams, sex education trivia--we like to keep it varied and fun, and we're always looking for new activities! Let us know if you're interested in doing an activity with our youth. Youth can also "shop" in Tracey's Closet, our boutique of clothes, hygiene items, hair care products, and more, graciously provided by Francesca's. Tracey's Closet is designed as an identity affirming space, providing youth not only with the dignity they deserve, but the opportunity to express their unique selves through fashion and style. Learn more about Tracey's Closet and how you can contribute to it. |
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Case Management
Whether a young person comes to Youth Night just needing bus fare or long-term housing assistance, we're all about helping them grow and find success. Through the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and partnerships with other organizations, we help youth get access to and navigate a network of services and resources. We provide case management services for:
Whether a young person comes to Youth Night just needing bus fare or long-term housing assistance, we're all about helping them grow and find success. Through the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and partnerships with other organizations, we help youth get access to and navigate a network of services and resources. We provide case management services for:
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Asia's Fund | Financial Aid for Transgender Youth
Asia Foster was a member of Grace Place violently taken from us in 2020. In the years since her death, legislation in Texas has grown increasingly hostile and dangerous, specifically targeting transgender young people. We recognize the unique challenges and discrimination transgender youth face, especially if they are experiencing homelessness. In Asia’s honor—and to intentionally support trans youth—Asia’s Fund was launched to provide our transgender youth with opportunity, dignity, and pride in themselves. This includes access to gender affirming care, including binders, medication, and more. It also supports keeping the transgender experience central to our work by increasing economic opportunities for transgender youth and working towards better housing and health outcomes. |
Partner Resources
Our holistic model of meeting youth where they're at means having knowledge of and access to a variety of resources beyond the scope of what we are capable of providing. As a small grassroots organization, we rely on relationships with other community organizations to ensure our youth have the tools they need for growth and success. Whether groups provide their services during Youth Night, or we know we can pass along their information to a youth in need, we appreciate the relationships we have with our partner organizations.
Are you a part of an organization interested in providing services or knowledge to youth experiencing homelessness? Email [email protected].
Our holistic model of meeting youth where they're at means having knowledge of and access to a variety of resources beyond the scope of what we are capable of providing. As a small grassroots organization, we rely on relationships with other community organizations to ensure our youth have the tools they need for growth and success. Whether groups provide their services during Youth Night, or we know we can pass along their information to a youth in need, we appreciate the relationships we have with our partner organizations.
Are you a part of an organization interested in providing services or knowledge to youth experiencing homelessness? Email [email protected].
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Youth Voices Empowered (YVE)
Youth Voices Empowered is a collective of Grace Place youth who are paid to participate in weekly meetings, trainings, and leadership development opportunities. YVE members participate in activities that allow them to express bad housing and/or homeless experiences, and transform them into advocacy. YVE was created to return youths’ power back to them after systems involvement had taken it away. YVE is also a healing group. Members work to build public speaking, critical thinking, and problem solving skills. In their own words: “By showing up for the change we want to see in the world, we are showing up for ourselves, and once we transition out of YVE we will maintain our efforts as powerful advocates.” |
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GET INVOLVED!
Interested in joining Grace Place's family and making a difference in the lives of Houston's most vulnerable youth? Check out our volunteer opportunities or consider making a donation! |
