On April 29, community and government leaders, YouthLink staff, and homeless youth convened in the continued crusade to end homelessness in Minneapolis.

Specifically, youth homelessness, as they kicked off construction of the new Youth Opportunity Center near downtown Minneapolis which will open its doors later this year.

A number of government and community leaders spoke at the event including Hennepin County Commissioner, Peter McLaughlin:

Heather Huseby, executive director of YouthLink, also spoke at the event, inviting youth to symbolically walk through the doors of the new Youth Opportunity Center for the very first time:

You can also view photos of speakers and attendees at the event on the YouthLink FlickR page.

Look for more information, updates and perspectives on the Youth Opportunity Center, as construction progresses this summer and fall.