Helping Shine Light

Our mission is to create a safe, stable, and nurturing home environment for young women, ages 18-20, who are housing-insecure and in need of shelter and supportive services.

Our mission is to create a safe, stable, and nurturing home environment for girls, ages 18-20, who are housing-insecure and in need of shelter and supportive services.

Our Youth Need Our Help

Video by GCAI

Hampden County demonstrates a notably higher poverty rate of 17.2%, surpassing the national average of 12.3% (Census, 2017). The contrast becomes even more evident when directing attention to Springfield and Holyoke, where the poverty rate exceeds 28%. Particularly concerning young adults aged 12 to 24 (YYAs), the poverty rate in Hampden County stands at 23%, affecting around 18,180 individuals in the 18-24 age group who are living in poverty.

A Look At The Numbers

While many young people facing homelessness have previously interacted with institutions and systems of care, it is also common for them to leave such systems and then encounter homelessness.

On any given night, an average of 120 youth and young adults experience homelessness in Hampden County.

The average age for a young adult's first experience of homelessness is 17.4 years.

68% identify as Latinx compared 24% of the general population.

What We Do

We provide high risk youth and families with tools and opportunities to break the cycle of poverty, desperation and dependence that dominates their lives, enabling them to become contributing members of our community.