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Wind Youth Services

Comstock’s Magazine profiles Wind’s recent success in keeping services running through strategic partnerships in the Sacramento area.

It was as close to a miracle as you can get. Just when all hope seemed lost for Wind Youth Services, the only homeless teen shelter in Sacramento, a financially-solvent fairy godmother swooped in to save the day.

The shelter temporarily closed in early February of 2016 due to a lack of operating funds necessary to keep the doors open, says Wind Youth Executive Director Suzi Dotson. A few weeks later, the Goodwill chapter of Sacramento Valley & Northern Nevada donated an initial seed gift of $10,000 to Wind Youth, allowing the facility to reopen in the short-term. They also issued a “challenge to the community,” Dotson says, to raise even more.

Wind Youth Center services nearly 200 homeless teens between the ages of 12 and 18 every month. They focus on getting the teens back into school and reunited with their families, when possible. “It’s a pretty expensive program,” Dotson says. “It has to be staffed 24 hours a day because they’re minors. It’s really intensive work.” Wind staffers provide support and care to the homeless or troubled teens so that they can address what is going on at home, she says. According to their website at windyouth.org, Wind is “the only service provider in Sacramento County focusing solely on runaway, homeless and street youth and transition age youth.”

Goodwill also helped organize another fundraiser that sought to raise $135,000 to keep Wind’s doors open all year — and they met their goal, with Goodwill matching another $3,000 donation from the combined efforts of Outword Magazine and Badlands in Sacramento. But the real funds came from an on-air drive during Good Day Sacramento that finally tipped the scales and reached their fundraising goal.

Read the rest of the article on comstocksmag.com

Over the last two months the drop-in center has seen many colorful art pieces appearing on our walls. Youth and staff are coloring mandalas, creating original pieces and engaging in rich conversations. This increase in artistic endeavors is due in large part to a new partnership with WEAVE. WEAVE is a local nonprofit providing services to victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. In a new partnership, WEAVE is working to identify and address the needs of homeless and LGBTQ youth.

Michelle is a counselor with WEAVE who runs a weekly art group at our drop-in center. Youth are engaged in art and discussing a range of personal issues with the support of Wind staff and Michelle. This low risk type of group has proven successful in both popularity and engagement. Youth are excited for group, proud of their work and enjoy the time dialoguing with each other and staff. Many youth are also asking for additional supportive services and seeking out therapeutic support with Wind therapists and Michelle.

Partnerships like this help keep programming relevant, fluctuating and offer unique opportunities for staff to participant with youth to increase rapport and relationships. Staff is always working to increase feeling of safety, identify areas for harm reduction and model healthy communication skills.

Learn more about WEAVE and their programs on their website!

It’s been almost a year since our permanent supportive housing program opened and we have seen many successes!

Our case manager has shared smiles, laughs with all the young people as they headed out to meet goals on their case plans.  Finding employment, enrolling in school, getting connected to health care, and assisting youth in securing and maintaining benefits are just a few examples of completed goals that positively affected the youths’ moods and overall situations, keeping them housed and safely inside.  The purpose of supportive housing is that clients feel supported and we definitely can share that are clients are happier and healthier with the support they get from the Wind case manager.

In August alone, three youth enrolled in GED programs and are working diligently to complete their degree. All of these youth have experienced a lot of struggle in their life, so this milestone is a true achievement. They are fighting addiction, CPS involvement, and years of trauma from living on the streets.

Because Wind’s program is built on the model of harm reduction and unconditional love, we help youth reach their goals by allowing them to focus on their accomplishments rather than the stigma associated with their addiction or trauma. 

Wind is proud to announce the opening of a new Transitional Housing Program for Transition Age Youth, including 12 new available beds for 18-24-year-olds!

This program is designed to take 12 youth and allow them up to 2 years to work on their employment and educational goals. Wind’s two dedicated case workers have been working tirelessly to create a safe space for youth of any background to work and attend school all the while establishing much needed rental credit. Residents of the new Transitional Housing will able to stay for up to 2 years and will be paying a portion of their income towards rent which, following their completion of the program will be returned to them, no strings attached!

This house combines a communal living environment with case management and support and a real opportunity for youth to get ahead and break the cycle of homelessness once and for all.

Wind Youth Services has just concluded our annual Summer Soirée fundraising party, and it was a success thanks to a truly amazing group of volunteers, vendors, and sponsors! Wind and Goodwill want to thank all of our partners for supporting what has been the biggest Summer Soirée yet!

We were fortunate to be joined by 625 guests spanning corporate sponsors, government representatives, local engaged citizens and former recipients of human services provided by Wind, who helped us raise over $100,000 to fund homeless youth services!

Money raised at the Summer Soirée pays for the ONLY Sacramento youth drop-in center (which is in many instances Wind’s first contact with a child who has become homeless), the street outreach program designed for early intervention, the two youth homeless shelters, family unification counseling and caseworkers with the goal of providing safety, stability and independence for Sacramento’s youth experiencing homelessness.

When you think of the hungry, homeless and disadvantaged youth we serve, know that everyone at this event helped to make a real difference.

Thank you so much to all of the volunteers below that made this event possible:

  • Dani Andrade
  • Joan Barrett
  • Peter Bell
  • Lisa Bender
  • Nadia Buzgheia
  • Cavi Cavness
  • Katherine Cleary
  • Maren Conrad
  • Melissa Cullen
  • Courtney Divens
  • Lisa Egger
  • Justin Forcione
  • Lexie Franz
  • Jane Fricke
  • Rick Galvan
  • Stephanie Garland
  • Debra Gill
  • Marlene Glitzner
  • Shari Gonzales
  • Lainie Grey
  • Malycia Hedding
  • Barbara Henry
  • Suzie Hernandez
  • Leo Hickman
  • Kennedy & Kevin Hill
  • Wade Hollan
  • Katie Holman
  • Joan Horta
  • June Hudspeth
  • Amy Huss
  • Ruby Jones
  • Sue Kane
  • Janet Kelts
  • Jimmy & Chelsea Khor
  • Kelly Kulesza
  • Sarah Jones
  • Victoria Jones
  • Jake & Markie Jorgensen
  • Lisa Ladd
  • Julie & Karl Lanocha
  • Marcie Larkey
  • Chelsea Lattan
  • Mike Lavender
  • Jacob Lee
  • Pamela Livingston
  • Anthony Lopez
  • Malika & Muskan Mann
  • Patti Martin,Marco Martinez-F
  • Daishawn McFadden
  • Natalie Moreau
  • Gayathri & Keveri Murthy
  • Mandar Nimkar
  • Julia Noto
  • Emigidio Ortiz
  • Lisa
  • Greg
  • Kyle & Troy Pawlak
  • Samantha Perez
  • Macy Peterson
  • Melissa Pinkerton
  • Margo Raine
  • Batine Rameriez
  • Sarah & Bijan Rashidi
  • Jenn Rasmuessen
  • Jamie Rathburn
  • Lara Riggan
  • Jenny Rodriquez
  • Julie Ryan
  • Gillian Sam-Calder
  • Jennifer Scalzi
  • Mike Shaldone
  • Lisa Sierra
  • Monica Schluer
  • Jolene Snyder
  • Mel Sorvina
  • Kent Souza
  • Morgan Staines
  • Nikki Sternin
  • Cheryl Summers
  • Sandra Sze
  • Patti Todd
  • Lisa & Samuel Tran
  • Emily Underly
  • Diane Vanderpot
  • Rowan Vining
  • Sean Walker
  • Lillian Whinery
  • Kelly White
  • Kelly Winsor

Thank you to all of the vendors that brought delicious food, drinks and more to the event!

  • Miyagi
  • Roxy
  • Matteo’s
  • Foundation
  • Yianni’s Bar & Grill
  • Sac City Eats
  • The Green Boheme
  • Kasbah Lounge
  • Chicago Fire
  • Alsco Linens
  • Hoppy Brewing Company
  • DBI Distributors
  • Dancing Coyote Wines
  • Southern Wine & Spirits

Thank you to the sponsors that continue to support Wind Youth Services!

List of sponsors from Wind Youth Services' Summer Soirée

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