LANSING, Mich. — Michigan has a large number of high school age youths struggling with homelessness— more than 22,000, according to the University of Michigan. A large group of service providers are trying to help, but they say they need two things; funding and awareness.
“We’re asking for a specified amount of funding from the general fund for our programs because aside from a small increase in 2019 we have not had increases to these programs in well over a decade," said Benjamin Moe the board president of the Michigan Network for Youth and Family Services.
The MNYF is a group of service providers that advocate and provide resources for runaway and homeless youth in Michigan.
They currently have 19 organizations that are part of the network across Michigan. They each get training, funding and technical assistance from the MNYF. They are asking the legislature for a $3 million increase in their budget and $20 million of the state's American Rescue Plan dollars over the next three years.
"And then we also want to expand our programs to the entire state," he says.
Moe says if more people understood the need, his organization may be able to get the support they need.
“You know, a lot of the resources that I got help with— I didn't know about," said Cheyenne Howard, a current student and who previously received support from one of the MNYF's member organizations. " I didn't know that they were available to people like me, people that need help and especially kids coming out of high school like they don't know about all that stuff.”
Howard is one of the 3,500 young people who got help from the MNYF and now has her own place.
“They helped me get in contact with all kinds of community resources that I didn't even know were out there that were available to everyone, and it helped me tremendously. I have my own place now. I have my own car insurance. All my bills are in my name," she says. "I am capable to realize what money I have and what I need to spend it on, and she just helped me get everything together and it helped me so much.”
Although demand greatly outweighs the available programs the MNYF reports 93% of the young people they help exit their programs with secure and safe housing.
Want to see more local news? Visit the FOX47News Website.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox.
Select from these options: Neighborhood News, Breaking News, Severe Weather, School Closings, Daily Headlines, and Daily Forecasts.
