The Chico City Council proclaimed Nov. as National Homeless Youth Awareness Month in a city council meeting Tuesday to bring light to the reality of youth homelessness issue in the city.
“The youth homeless issue is often kind of underground or secret more because that population can really be unnoticed,” said Nancy Jorth, Director of Social Services at Youth For Change in Chico.
There are an estimated 200,000 homeless children in California and an estimated 1,100 K-12 kids in Butte County alone, according to Chico City Mayor Andrew Coolidge.
I Andrew Coolidge, mayor of the city of Chico, on behalf of the Chico City Council join advocates and communities across the country in taking action to prevent youth homelessness and run away, and to hereby proclaim November 2023 as homeless and run away youth awareness month,” Mayor Coolidge said at the city council meeting Tuesday.
Places like 6th Street in Chico help the youth by putting them on track for a successful future by providing them shelter, food, clothing, and more. They are a drop-in center for homeless and runaway youth and has been serving the community for 15 years. They primarily assist people ages 14 to 25 and believe proclaiming awareness for the issue is important to solving the problem in Chico. The center assists over 200 homeless kids in the area.
“Really is the opportunity to inform our leadership in the county about these issues so that they have that in mind when they’re looking at funding and support and really kind of having a knowledge of part of the community that we have that we’re all trying to support,” Jorth said.
The community can help the youth by providing them resources they need such as jobs and affordable living. Education on the realities of the issue is key in creating a plan of action.
To reach Youth For Change, call (530) 877-1965. No one should suffer alone, for assistance with shelter, food security, mental health, and more, click here.
