Julie Happy, 509.625.7773
Thursday, June 29, 2017 at 11:24 a.m.
The City of Spokane, along with agency partners, is continuing the 100 Youth, 100 Day Youth Housing Challenge with a “move-in” kit donation drive for the final 30 days of the challenge.
The donation drive will help youth be successful as they move from homelessness into their new homes. The kits will be similar to what a parent puts together for a child they are sending off to college for the first time or setting them up in their first apartment.
Beginning Friday, items for the move-in kits can be dropped off at many locations citywide. Suggested donations include new and unused kitchen and bathroom products, bedding, cleaning supplies, and comfort items like books.
“This donation drive is a way for our community to join forces with the 100 Day Challenge Team and be part of the effort to shape the future of Spokane’s youth,” said Tija Danzig, the City’s Homeless Services Program Manager.
At the end of the donation drive, items will be sorted into individual kits to be distributed to youth as they move in. Assembly of the move-in kits will be done at “The Gathering Place” next to City Hall on Monday, July 31.
“When my kids get keys, it’s a monumental day,” said Mary Stanton the Education, Employment and Housing Youth Representative from Career Path Services. “But the excitement quickly dissipates when they have no fork to eat with or no towel to dry off with. That’s why this drive is so important.”
A little more than halfway through the 100-day challenge, 50 youth have been successfully housed in Spokane. The goal is to rethink how the city addresses homelessness for youth and make systemic changes to how youth are returned or connected to permanent homes. Spokane is one of three participants in the first-ever statewide challenge.
“We are helping to make houses into homes,” said Sarah Miller, HEART Liaison for Spokane Public Schools.
