New chapters lead to new beginnings
Our stories make us who we are
The Introduction
It's hard to imagine, but each year more than 1,000 young people in St. Joseph County find themselves struggling with homelessness, poverty, abuse, neglect or crises.
Operating out of three scattered, aging and ill-equipped residential buildings, some nearly 100 years old, has created great hurdles to providing the level of service teens and young adults need and our community deserves.
In response, YSB is working to create a New space, The Center for Youth Success.
This new chapter in YSB's book will allow for significant improvements in service delivery and create a welcoming space where young people can find immediate safety and shelter, and gain access to the resources and support they need to exit homelessness permanently.
The new YSB Center for Youth Success will be built on 15 acres of generously donated land near the corner of Hickory Road and McKinley Avenue in South Bend and will be the first of its kind in St. Joseph County.
The creation of YSB's Center for Success is a bold, new chapter for St. Joseph County.
Most importantly, YSB is grateful for the dedicated and generous community visionaries who have already laid the foundation for this exciting project by gifting a million dollars in property and 1.5 million dollars to ensure that this Center will become a reality.
THE NUMBERS BEHIND THE STORIES
Safe Station Emergency Youth Shelter
Serving homeless and in-crisis youth ages 12 to 18. 200 youth served and 400 crisis calls taken in 2019.
Street Outreach Program and Drop-In Center
Serving youth at risk of homelessness. 9,000 youth contacts in 2019.
Young Moms’ Self-Sufficiency Program
Serving mothers ages 16-24 at risk of homelessness and their children at risk of abuse and neglect.
300 women and 600 children served in 2019.
Transitional Living Program
Serving youth ages 18-24 exiting foster care or homeless.
Eight youth served in 2019.
Porch Light Transitional Living Program
Serving pregnant or parenting young mothers ages 16-22. Four moms and eight children served in 2019.
Youth Development Services
In PHM schools. 1,500 students received counseling services and 4,500 students received educational
presentations in 2019.
Safe Place Program
160 Safe Place Sites in St. Joseph County. 9,700 presentations to middle school and high school students.