Empowering Young People Experiencing Homelessness Through Holistic Wellness

Affordable housing and homelessness

City of Los Angeles (select only if your project has a citywide benefit)

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

My Friend’s Place cultivates growth and opportunity for young people experiencing homelessness, many of whom have endured complex trauma that disrupts development and attachment.
Often, young people report first encounters with mental health care that were forced, punitive, and lacked trauma-informed principles. Diagnoses were stigmatizing, poorly explained, and often addressed only with medication—leading to negative, limited self-concepts and a belief that they were defective.
These early experiences fostered deep mistrust in mental health services. In response, we center healing around trust, attachment, and a harm reduction approach. We reject pathologizing behavior, instead recognizing it as a response to unresolved trauma.
By meeting young people where they are, My Friend’s Place provides low-barrier access to meaningful, empowering mental health support to the 1,000+ young people who will visit us this year.

The experience of homelessness can be a significantly marginalizing and dehumanizing experience for a young person. Our comprehensive care provides young people support and care during a mental health crises that can make growth and healing possible.
Many of our young visitors are experiencing profound isolation and loneliness. U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy describes loneliness as an epidemic, and insists that the antidote is human connection. Our program model provides this antidote, and uplifts human connection as the wellspring for healing, recovery, and hope.
Through our continuum of care, we respond to early life trauma through an approach that emphasizes care over judgment. We focus on the root causes of behaviors and symptoms through a trauma-informed lens, helping young people gain a deeper, more compassionate understanding of themselves.
We actively work to minimize young people’s experience of stigma. We understand that many behaviors are normal responses to trauma, systemic oppression, and intergenerational harm. We empower young people to make informed mental health choices, using harm reduction and motivational interviewing as key tools.
We promote the understanding that mental health is multidimensional, with natural periods of wellness and challenge—often shaped by external factors like homelessness. We reinforce coping skills and provide consistent support to help young people navigate struggles, build resilience, and move toward long-term healing.

L. A. County has one of the largest populations of homeless youth in the U.S. with nearly 4,000 unhoused transition age youth (18–24) that are often failed by adult systems, putting them at risk of chronic homelessness.
We are building a youth centered, community powered movement to ensure they are not left behind. Our vision is a Los Angeles where youth homelessness is prevented and responded to effectively and where all young people can thrive.
Our short term focus is to reduce the psychological, physical, and social barriers that prevent young people from seeking or accepting help. We understand the evolving needs of young people, apply effective resources, and respond swiftly to end their experience of homelessness.
Next year we will serve 1,100 youth ages 12–30, engage 320 in mental health case management, support 530 with housing services, help 185 get shelter, and assist 60 secure permanent housing.
Together, we can ensure these young people not only survive - but thrive.