Partner with us to support homeless youth and young adults at the new Willows Youth Services Center, the only emergency shelter for youth and young adults in east King County.
Friends of Youth continues to work towards realizing a vision of ensuring youth and young adults in our communities spend zero days in a state of vulnerability.
Homelessness is a national, regional, and local issue that adversely affects youth and young people in King County. Thanks to the support, efforts, and advocacy of many within our community, I’m pleased to share that on Tuesday, May 2, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) delivered a $1 million check to Friends of Youth for the new Willows Youth Services Center; this funding was secured in the Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) government funding law. This new emergency shelter will replace The Landing shelter in Redmond.
Upon opening, Willows Youth Services Center will operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, expand available emergency shelter beds from 20 to 34, provide integrated behavioral health (mental health and substance use treatment), basic medical care, nutrition, hygiene facilities, and an expanded safe, public health-focused shelter capacity. Young unsheltered people in our community will have access to necessary health services, case management, and the housing navigation services they need to transition to stable, longer-term housing.
Congresswoman DelBene reflected on the importance of this new facility, “Many youths experiencing homelessness in east King County have few options for where to turn when they’re in crisis. This $1 million federal investment that I secured for Friends of Youth’s new Willows Youth Services Center will help expand the number of beds and the services available to Eastside youth and young adults when they need it most.”
We are extremely grateful to have Congresswoman DelBene as a true partner in ensuring that young people are safe, not vulnerable, and treated with dignity as they face some of the most challenging times of their lives. Without her efforts and advocacy, the Willows Youth Service Center would not be possible.
To open the shelter later this year, it is also critical that we receive support from you, our partners, in ensuring that youth face zero days of vulnerability. I invite you to donate today here. Together, we can help vulnerable youth and young adults find a path to stability and success.