For many homeless youth, the biggest challenge is staying on track with studies and keeping a job while living on the streets. Keeping up grades and making it to work each day can be tough when you’re hopping from couch to couch each night. But statistically, we know staying in school and keeping a job are key ingredients to breaking the cycle of poverty and chronic, long-term homelessness.

So, when organizations like the Xcel Energy Foundation come along and donate $5,000 to help make a brighter future for these youth (see photo at right), it’s a big deal.

Why is it such a big deal? Well, for starters, let’s see exactly where the money goes. The $5,000 donated by the Xcel Energy Foundation will help YouthLink:

• Develop partnerships and programs designed to grow youth internship opportunities for youth who need jobs.
• Coordinate relationships with local employers to increase opportunities for youth (e.g., getting job training programs to reserve/prioritize seats in their programs).
• Build alternative income programs for youth.
• Develop and manage peer-to-peer consulting opportunities for youth to learn from other successful employed youth.
• Provide exposure to career paths and post-secondary options they may not have otherwise known about.

These important YouthLink programs help youth start to see the light at the end of the homelessness tunnel. Our goal is to help these youth become independent and self-sufficient—education and employment readiness are two essential components in that journey.

But, these programs don’t just benefit youth—they have a substantial impact on local employers and the Minneapolis/St. Paul community at large.

Think about it: Thanks to donations like the one provided by the Xcel Energy Foundation, YouthLink programs help create more qualified workers who are better prepared for success in the workplace—a big boon for Twin Cities employers. And, with every successful transition from homelessness to successful employment or post-secondary education, the community benefits, too, as each of these young people becomes a contributing member of the community. There are also economic benefits, as each young person becomes a tax-paying citizen as they sustain a part- or full-time job, rather than relying heavily on costly public services for housing, food and health care. It’s a win-win for everyone.

If you or your organization is interested in helping fund these important programs and giving homeless youth a chance in life, please visit our Donate page to learn how you can help.