2016-07-01 Homeless Youth Connection

 
Since its inception, Homeless Youth Connection (HYC) has had the strong community partnership and continued support of the Rotary organization.  It began in 2009, when HYC founder Larry Cervarich approached the White Tanks Rotary of Goodyear, Arizona, about backing an organization that helps homeless teenagers get the basic supplies they need.
 
Several smaller fundraisers followed and by 2010, HYC was established as a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit.  As of 2016, HYC has served hundreds of homeless youth across the greater West Valley and this year alone, HYC served 245 high school students and saw nearly 70 seniors graduate from high school—many with honors, 4.0 GPAs and scholarships to head off to college.  
                What started with a car wash, and back-yard fundraising efforts has grown to an organization that provides case management, counseling, adult mentors and shelter with the Host Family home program.  Because the youth are less concerned about meeting their basic needs, finding a safe place to sleep and food to eat—they are thriving and far more successful in school. 
                And the need continues to grow. Recent reports find than there are more than 4,200 homeless youth attending high school in Arizona.  Of those, 529 are unaccompanied, or youth on their own.  HYC has been asked to support the homeless youth in school districts outside the West Valley and will now bring case management to students in Phoenix, Deer Valley, Tempe, Chandler and Higley school districts.  It’s possible that our numbers will more than double in size of the next few years. 
                Through the support of Rotarians that resides in Colorado and part time in Palm Springs, the HYC model is being used to help homeless youth in these locations as well.  The Palm Springs Rotary Club recently donated $15,000 to the Palm Springs Unified School District to support their homeless student population.  The Aurora Club of Colorado hopes to become the first in the Denver Metro area to add support for homeless youth.  Cervarich hopes he can also bring the program to areas in Oregon and Washington next. 
                For more information about HYC and ways to support their program, visit www.hycaz.org