1.7 million youth are homeless & alone in the U.S. annually.

Sleeping in cars, abandoned buildings, parks, on friend’s couch or in stranger’s homes in exchange for sex, across America, aspirational teens are unhoused, not living with a parent or guardian, and not in foster care. These unaccompanied homeless youth face countless barriers to evade chronic homelessness as adults. At Starting Right, Now (SRN), we are ending youth homelessness through a holistic approach, one child at a time. Unaccompanied homeless youth in SRN become self-sufficient and contributing community members. Be inspired by our impact and donate to help us end youth homelessness!

End the Cycle

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“Let myself, and every Starting Right, Now graduate, serve as proof – we can end the cycle of homelessness, and achieve greatness, one child at a time.” – SRN Alumnus

For over 15 years Starting Right, Now
has been removing barriers for unaccompanied homeless youth.

%

of SRN youth have graduated high school

%

of alumni have completed or are completing college.

%

of SRN alumni are in a career with benefits.

Laws amended or co-authored to reduce barriers

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Boy with certificate hugs women with microphone
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What We Do

Starting Right, Now, empowers unaccompanied homeless youth to become self-sufficient citizens, breaking the cycle of generational homelessness and poverty. This includes long-term housing for homeless independent minors as well as holistic and personalized care for each young person to ensure they do not become chronically homeless adults. Our comprehensive model includes:

How we help our youth:

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Safe Housing

Starting Right, Now youth live in our long-term housing facility which provides resources for food, water, hygiene, rest, and safety, as well as opportunities to model life skills.

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Social Services and Healthcare Access

Starting Right, Now youth are guided through enrollment for Food Stamps and Medicaid. SRN helps youth manage preventative healthcare, including mental health, and provides transportation to appointments.

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Academic Support

Starting Right, Now monitors academic progress, including arranging tutoring and credit recovery, to help youth complete high school. SRN helps youth plan for and advance to a post-secondary education goal (vocational training, college, or military).

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Support Systems

Each youth is matched with a personal one-on-one mentor – community volunteers. Mentors and Starting Right, Now staff collectively serve as an advocate and consistent support.

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Financial Stability

Starting Right, Now helps youths secure employment, open a bank account, and plan a budget while in high school. SRN youth receive financial literacy education, including real-life practice managing their own finances and beginning to build savings.

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Self-Esteem Building

Youth attend Starting Right, Now’s trauma-informed after-school curriculum which instills prosocial and essential life skills. SRN fosters opportunities for positive peer interactions and community-building.

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Advocacy

Starting Right, Now raises awareness and educates the community about the prevalence of unaccompanied homeless youth and their plight. SRN has assisted in changing ten laws in Florida to protect unaccompanied youth statewide. 

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Meet Lis

“With the eviction letter in hand I went out to the parking lot and sat on the curb beside the car that would be my new home and did something I hadn’t done in a long time - I prayed"..."I can’t say why I was blessed the way I was, but I suspect it had something to do with the fact that when the call for help went out, SRN answered.”

Meet Kyle

“When I came back to my mom’s house, she had already packed all my belongings and placed them on the front porch.”

Meet Tieyenna

“In the past ten years I have grown mentally from the emotionally unavailable and detached adolescent that I was into a woman with purpose, hope, and many more dreams.”

Get Involved

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Understanding Unaccompanied Homeless Youth

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Become a Mentor or a Tutor

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Refer a Student to Starting Right, Now

Together, we can make a difference.

Get involved today. Join our mission to end youth homelessness. Sign up to stay updated on Starting Right, Now’s latest news.

Donate now or help homeless youth in your community to stop the cycle.

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