Blog

At YouthLink, our mission is guided by Nine Guiding Principles that shape everything we do: Journey Oriented, Trauma-Informed, Non-Judgmental, Harm Reduction, Trusting Youth-Adult Relationships, Strengths Based, Positive Youth Development, Holistic, and Collaboration. These principles ensure we provide the most effective and compassionate support possible to youth experiencing homelessness. One of our most impactful collaborations is…

At YouthLink, we pride ourselves on being a youth-led organization, and the Voices of Youth Advisory Council (VOYAC) is a cornerstone of our mission and our work. VOYAC plays a critical role in collecting and utilizing feedback from youth experiencing homelessness to guide YouthLink’s leadership team in making informed decisions. Through a combination of formal…

Enter Kiki’s office – not an office with four walls, but the vibrant city landscape where compassion meets community, and every step is a journey toward making a difference in the lives of youth experiencing homelessness. Armed with kindness, resources, and an unwavering dedication to her work, Kiki’s efforts extend far beyond the boundaries of…

Welcome to the YouthLink blog, where we dive into the heart of our mission and explore the invaluable partnerships that make our work possible. Today, we’re honored to spotlight Jay Wagner, the Senior Program Officer for Holistic Grantmaking at Greater Twin Cities United Way. Greater Twin Cities United Way is one of YouthLink’s strongest allies…

In February, YouthLink celebrated a significant milestone: the two-year anniversary of Rich Melzer’s tenure as CEO. In this short period, YouthLink has experienced remarkable growth and impact, a testament to Rich’s steadfast commitment to the mission of empowering young people to transform their lives. Under Rich’s leadership, YouthLink has seen a whopping 106% increase in…

Dear YouthLink Community, As we stand at the threshold of 2024, I am filled with profound gratitude and admiration for each one of you who has made our journey at YouthLink so extraordinary. With heartfelt enthusiasm, I step into my role as the new Chair of the Board of Directors, and I am honored to…

You can help make the holidays brighter for young people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. YouthLink’s holiday party will be on Thursday, December 14. Last year, 125 young people received gifts for themselves and their children through our Santa Shop. Our goal is that each young person can get a gift card and a…

We are thankful for the many moving parts that take place at YouthLink to make our wrap-around services possible and to bring youth from homeless to hopeful. Including staff and on-site community partners to groups and individuals volunteering their time to different tasks and events.  Today we’d like to introduce you to Meredith! Meredith is…

Application and Information The Voices of Youth Advisory Council consists of 6 young people (18-28), 1 board member, and 1 staff who use their lived experiences to voice and influence planning, governance, and decision-making at YouthLink; this is done to strengthen and continuously improve the quality of services provided to youth served by YouthLink. This…

“Every day I just keep pushing to get better,” says Marshall*, a YouthLink client and resident at Nicollet Square, who has come a long way in a short time since being introduced to the Minneapolis nonprofit 1 ½ years ago. “I grew up in St. Paul and was never around an environment where people took…