Short Answers to Big Questions

Oh, are there homeless youth in Washington County?

Yes, homelessness in Washington County looks very different from homelessness in downtown Portland. The homeless situations they are in span a wide spectrum.

We served more than 500 youth in 2022 and many more are not accessing our services or other programs. According to a statewide research study, it is estimated that 1 in every 12 youth actually accesses services, with this estimation there are 24,000 homeless youth in Oregon—and Washington County has the second highest population of homeless youth in the state.

Where are their parents?

We serve youth ages 12 to 24. Many youth are still connected with their parents and/or families. For many of them “home” has not been a healthy or supportive place and they are trying to find other support systems. Oftentimes the parents of the youth are in unstable situations themselves and can no longer financially support their children after they turn 18.

Are all the youth who come to HomePlate homeless?

No, although our target population is youth who are homeless, experiencing housing instability, or are hungry for food, companionship, or support.

Do you see the same youth come back every week?

Yes, since the main way we are able to help so many youth take the next step is by building trusting relationships with them. This takes time. The majority of youth we see come back on a consistent basis. We have heard them say “HomePlate is my family.” That said, almost every week we meet new youth.

Why are youth homeless?

There are a myriad of reasons that contribute to youth experiencing instability. From our experience we see that it usually comes from family homelessness or instability, no income and loss of employment, alcohol or drug abuse, or a situation that is not acceptable to the parents such as coming out as LGBTQIA+ or becoming pregnant.

Do the youth you serve “choose” homelessness?

Youth have a vast array of experiences many of which involve trauma and abuse in numerous forms. Youth who leave a house and stay on the streets or with friends are often escaping a dangerous situation and making this choice for survival purposes.

Whether it’s emotional, physical or other forms of abuse, youth at HomePlate are resilient and we welcome and applaud them for reaching out to the community at HomePlate.

Where are youth coming from?

95% of the youth we serve are from Washington County. While services exist in downtown Portland it is important for us to serve the youth in their own community. For many youth going to downtown Portland has been an unhealthy and unsafe environment.

What resources are available to HomePlate youth?

Unfortunately there are many gaps in services in Washington County, however, some strong resource partners we work with are Boys and Girls Aid for shelter and transitional living, Community Action for family shelter and rent assistance.

The Washington County Essential Health Clinic offers low-income residents free health care. We work closely with GED programs such as Miller Ed and for employment we look to the Work Source Center to aid in the job readiness and placement process. We also partner closely with the School District Homeless Liaisons, a federally mandated and funded position in each school.

How many youth are coming to HomePlate for services?

Since opening in 2005 we’ve seen anywhere from 15-70 youth come per night—youth and average about 25 per night. Lately we’ve seen higher numbers at our new Beaverton location.