SEATTLE — New funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will go toward programs for over 13,000 kids and teens in Washington with unstable housing.
Washington’s Office of Homeless Youth was created in 2015 to help combat homelessness among kids and teens.
The more than $5 million grant will go towards 11 Washington counties that are considered to be more rural, including Chelan, Kitsap, and Thurston.
"The rate, or the share, of the population experiencing homelessness is virtually the same in rural and urban communities,” said Kim Justice, the Executive Director of the Office of Homeless Youth. “I think that often surprises people too."
She said that many times people do not know just how many homeless youth are in their communities.
"It can take the form of couch surfing or sleeping in a car,” said Justice. “It's not necessarily as visible as other types of homelessness."
Justice said they consult with young people who have experienced homelessness for many of their decisions because they are the ones who have the lived experience. One of those people is Selena Gonzalez.
“I'm just so blessed and fortunate to be able to use my experience, and that people are actually there to listen to what I have to say, what I went through, and that it means something to somebody,” said Gonzalez.
Gonzalez spent half her childhood being in and out of foster care.
"The system is not, it's no fun. It's no joke,” said Gonzalez. “When you're in the system, you're very lonely. I was separated from my brother."
When she was sixteen, she was homeless for a few months. She stayed at friends’ houses and was living out of her car. She would frequently go to Kubota Garden.
“I would spend a lot of time out here,” said Gonzalez. “Sometimes overnight, unfortunately."
But now, she has reconnected with her family and found stability. She is sharing her story and working with the Office of Homeless Youth to help other kids and teens know that they have resources, they are important, and they have a future.
“For that child who's alone and you feel like you don't know where you're going to go, how you're going to get there, I want you to know, just keep pushing, keep going,” said Gonzalez.
According to Justice, one improvement that has been made in Washington is a decrease in the number of youth who become homeless after exiting a public system, such as foster care or the criminal legal system. In 2016, 21 percent of young people experienced homelessness after exiting public systems. In 2020, that was down to 17 percent.