Homeless youth - The Kitchen

25 Oct 2023

Kierra’s Story: Young mother finds stability at Rare Breed Youth Services

Kierra was 16 when she started coming to Rare Breed Youth Services. Now, the 22-year-old mother reflects on what it was like being a homeless teenager in Springfield. Kierra says when you are homeless, you have to be constantly on the move. Finding a safe place to sleep at night and making sure your things don’t get stolen is a priority. Rare Breed was the main place she could spend her time. At first, Kierra needed all the resources offered. Rare Breed was a safe place Kierra could shower, change clothes, do laundry, and get a meal. It was also…

20 Jul 2023

The Kitchen Awarded Grant for New Rare Breed Learning Center

The Kitchen has been awarded a grant from The Timken Foundation of Canton for the development of a new learning center at Rare Breed Youth Services. The Learning Center will be a place for youth to engage with critical life skills, education/job preparation, and housing intakes. The center will also be used for staff training and development. The grant will provide new technology including computers, tablets, a printer, and a projector; furnishings like tables, chairs, and a podium; online training materials for case managers; and two new air conditioning units to service the building. The learning center will expand Rare…

18 Jul 2022

Pregnant & Parenting Youth Grant Renewed for Second Year

We are so excited to have our Change for Children grant renewed for year two by The Musgrave Foundation. This grant supports a case manager specifically for pregnant and parenting youth. The pregnant and parenting youth case manager is located at Rare Breed Youth Services, 301 N Main Ave. Homeless and at-risk youth ages 13-24 can receive a wide range of services at Rare Breed including immediate access to basic needs and rapid access to community services. Youth who are pregnant or parenting have other needs specific to their situations. That’s where our pregnant and parenting youth case manager steps…

02 Jun 2022

Sabrina’s Story – Rare Breed Youth Services

Sabrina was struggling with addiction and experiencing suicidal thoughts when she entered Mercy’s Marian Center for in-patient treatment at 19 years old. When she exited the treatment program, she was hesitant to return to her mother’s house. They had a rocky relationship made worse by her mental health struggles and addiction. That is how Sabrina found herself homeless in April 2019. A few days later, she connected with Rare Breed Youth Services, a program that provides immediate access to basic needs and rapid access to community services for youth ages 13-24. Sabrina found food, clothing, and showers at Rare Breed.…

Tag: Homeless youth