The goal of Count Us In is to gain a clearer understanding of the number of young people without a stable place to live on any given night in King County. There is a noticeable dearth of national and local data on the number, patterns, and characteristics of homeless youth. The One Night Count, a King County-wide effort to track homeless individuals, found only 34 homeless youth under the age of 18 in King County in 2011. Direct experience told community providers those numbers didn’t add up to the amount of youth seen in homeless youth programs. In response, Teen Feed sponsored the inaugural Count Us In effort on May 25, 2011, the first point-in-time count of homeless youth and young adults in the Pacific Northwest involving seven partner agencies and counting 374 unstably housed youth.

The 2^nd Annual Count Us In effort was notable, including 19 community partners and incorporating 21 count sites in Seattle and King County, with 1,132 youth completing housing surveys. Count Us In partners surveyed youth, organized meal sites and events, and produced targeted communications to youth without a safe and permanent home to be counted.

Sponsorship from United Way of King County and a partnership with the City of Seattle were instrumental in the community effort. The United Way of King County will produce a full report and analysis of the 2012 Count Us In effort in July 2012.

Thank you to thank fellow University District service providers, ROOTS Youth & Young Adult Shelter, Sanctuary Arts Center, and Street Youth Ministries staff for helping to survey youth at Teen Feed. Special thanks to Nat Crave, Etta’s Restaurant and Seatown SeaBar & Lounge for preparing and serving an outstanding Teen Feed meal for Count Us In efforts.

2012 Count Us In Community Partners:

• 45th Street Youth Clinic
• Asian Counseling and Referral Services
• Atlantic Street Center
• Auburn Youth & Family Resources
• City of Seattle Human Services Department
• City of Seattle Parks and Recreation Department
• Consejo Counseling & Referral Services
• Friends of Youth
• New Horizons
• Peace for the Streets by Kids from the Streets
• POCAAN/CURB
• Southeast Youth and Family Services
• Teen Feed
• Therapeutic Health Services- Central Youth and Family Services
• Union Gospel Mission
• United Way of King County
• YMCA Youth and Young Adult Services
• YouthCare

On Wednesday, May 16, 2012, service providers across King County, in coordination with United Way of King County, will host Count Us In, a youth-centered point in time count. The goal of this annual effort is to gain a clearer understanding of the number of young people without a stable place to live on any given night in King County. By enhancing the King County community’s knowledge of this issue, we can further our efforts to create a community where no youth is left without a place to call home.

The One Night Count, a King County-wide effort to track homeless individuals, found only 34 homeless youth under the age of 18 in King County in 2011. Common sense and direct experience told us those numbers didn’t add up to what we saw in our programs. In response, Teen Feed sponsored Count Us In, the first point-in-time count of homeless youth and young adults in the Pacific Northwest. Teen Feed coordinated involvement from eight organizations across King County including United Way, YouthCare, Friends of Youth, Peace For The Streets By Kids From The Streets, New Horizons, Auburn Youth Resources, Seattle Parks and Recreation, and the YMCA Youth & Young Adult Services, to count and survey youth in the streets. The inaugural Count Us In on May 26th, 2011, event identified 374 youth without stable housing.

The United Way is sponsoring the 2012 Count Us In, which will include 21 locations for this year’s point in time count. On Wednesday, May 16th, Count Us In will take place at meal sites and agencies across the county, offering free food and limited assistance to young people without a safe and permanent home, similar to the 2011 pilot year. In addition, the 2012 the Count Us In effort is expanded to involve agencies serving youth in South Seattle who are unstably housed.

2012 Count Us In Community Partners:

• 45th Street Youth Clinic
• Asian Counseling and Referral Services
• Atlantic Street Center
• Auburn Youth Resources
• Central Youth and Family Services
• City of Seattle Parks Department
• Consejo
• Friends of Youth
• New Horizons
• Peace for the Streets by Kids from the Streets
• POCAAN/CURB
• Seattle Youth Employment Program
• Southeast Youth and Family Services
• Teen Feed
• Union Gospel Mission
• United Way
• YMCA Youth and Young Adult Services
• YouthCare

Do you have questions about Count Us in? Please reach Teen Feed’s Executive Director Megan Gibbard at megan@teenfeed.org or 206.522.4366

Count Us In is supported by United Way of King County

The Excellence in Client Service Award included a $1,000 grant to help Teen Feed expand its mission and build capacity to help Seattle’s vulnerable street-involved youth population. Teen Feed’s long-term philosophy is that motivating youth to move towards secure housing or a stable job usually requires a trusting relationship with a mature adult. Support coordinators and trained volunteers are present seven nights a week at every Teen Feed meal to help rebuild the trust that has often disappeared when youth have experienced family trauma.

Katelyn and Alexis proudly display the Excellence award.

Teen Feed’s Executive Director Megan Gibbard shared, “We are honored to receive the Excellence in Client Service Award from Food Lifeline. This recognition amplifies what our youth guests know to be true: Teen Feed provides more than a meal; Teen Feed provides a safe place where supportive relationships are built over nutritious meals, transforming lives and our communities.”

Teen Feed began operations 25 years ago when nurses from the University of  Washington Medical Center noticed that  many street youth accessing the emergency room were severely malnourished. Today Teen Feed serves more than 690 individual street-involved youth and young adults by providing daily hot meals, support coordination, safe housing referrals, and other necessities in the University District. Food Lifeline’s recognition gift of $1,000 will go to bringing the Teen Feed meal program and the connection it provides to partners and neighborhoods in need in King County.

To learn more about Teen Feed’s five year strategic plan, please reach us at 206.522.4366 or info@teenfeed.org.

David Hollingsworth has been an easy going, dedicated and inspiring volunteer since December of 2010.

He is an engaging conversationalist, critical thinker, and a generous supporter of Teen Feed. David sees his life through a lens of interconnectedness and he engages and shares ideas with humble excitement. He even celebrated his birthday by asking his friends to donate to the Teen Feed program! We’re fortunate to be able to count on him as a volunteer and celebrate his commitment to Teen Feed.

Why/how did you get involved with Teen Feed?

I am studying Social Justice at Antioch University and volunteering is a vital aspect of my education. I really wanted to be a part of the community that I plan to work with upon graduating. The mission of Teen Feed and the low barrier accessibility of program really resonated with me. It was really important for me to get involved in social justice work outside of the classroom.

What is your favorite thing about volunteering at Teen Feed?

The people. The advocates and the youth – I just have a lot of love in my heart for everyone at Teen Feed. We all come together once a week, volunteering for the same cause and working toward the same goal: to talk to youth. These youth are the most forward and honest people I know. I really see potential at Teen Feed, whether it’s a youth who is creating art at Sanctuary Art Center, playing the piano during dinner, or talking about what they’re working toward. It’s encouraging and inspiring to be a part of that.

What do you like to do outside of volunteering?

I love going to Sounders games. I’m a huge fan! I also play soccer and disc golf with my Labrador. And I study of course, more than ever before in my life.

What did you eat today?

A scone. Fantastic.

What have you learned from volunteering at Teen Feed?

There’s a lot. I’ve learned that there’s a certain tangible resiliency in the youth, and I’ve really come to respect this. Some youth are striving for life, in a positive way. Before I was volunteering I thought there would be more frustrations and depression from youth. But at Teen Feed I see youth who are working to better their lives with beautiful resiliency. It is really inspiring.

She is trained in counseling with a Master’s Degree from Seattle University, is a proud mother of four, and is a reflective, thoughtful person with a humongous heart of gold.  In addition to being an awesome advocate, Debbie is generous in sharing her time whenever we need help in the office or with special projects. Debbie makes us laugh, keeps us thinking about how to do our work better and is always finding ways to help out and contribute to Teen Feed’s youth and community.

Why/how did you get involved with Teen Feed?

I got lucky. I knew I wanted to volunteer with youth, so I went on to the United Way website, typed in my zip code and found Teen Feed. I got kind of fooled though. I thought I wanted to work with high school age kids and when I got to program I was meeting guests who were a little older than the teens I expected. I didn’t realize how much I would come to enjoy working with these youth.

What is your favorite thing about volunteering at Teen Feed?

I do like to meet new people with different experiences and backgrounds. I get to meet so many really cool people and hear great stories. I live in a neighborhood without a lot of diversity, coming to Teen Feed I get to step out of that. I also love when a youth has a success and we are able to celebrate with them at Teen Feed, so cool.

What do you like to do outside of volunteering?

You can say that I like running. We have a sunny front porch at my house. I love to sit on my front porch with my kids and talk about nothing.  I love to be outside on a sunny day and I also love watching The Gilmore Girls (I have the whole series on DVD). I am also learning how to knit.

What did you eat today?

An orange, vanilla yogurt, cereal, whole wheat toast and coffee.

What have you learned from volunteering at Teen Feed?

I know what I have learned, but I don’t want to sound preachy. I’ll tell you what I’ve learned anyway:

In the University District there are some amazing services, all of these agencies work together to do beautiful work. These youth have these great services, but these services are reactive. What I mean is, why didn’t we serve these kids earlier? Why as a society did we wait so long? As a society and within communities we need to be more proactive in caring for youth.

Another thing I’ve learned: I often hear the term, homeless youth. I have learned that these people are “youth who are experiencing homelessness”. It’s not permanent, it’s temporary. The term homeless youth has seemingly negative connotations to people who don’t understand. These are just youth who need something right now (dinner at Teen Feed). Homelessness is not who they are.