Media & Events

Building Pathways to Stability Health is shaped by much more than access to healthcare. Safe housing, reliable food, education, employment, and supportive relationships all influence a young person’s ability to be healthy and thrive. For young people experiencing homelessness, these social determinants of health are deeply interconnected.  At Larkin Street Youth Services, we address these…

A Night To Remember On August 21, 2026, the American Conservatory (A.C.T.) Strand Theatre was lit up with extraordinary performances curated by the talented youth at Larkin Street Youth Services. Participants of Larkin Street’s Art Program spend 10 weeks crafting and preparing their art pieces, working with other house artists, and collaborating with each other…

  This National Nonprofit Day, we’re grateful to introduce a new visual identity for Larkin Street Youth Services: one that reflects who we are, the young people at the heart of our work, and the community that makes it possible. For 40 years, Larkin Street has worked alongside young people experiencing homelessness in San Francisco,…

Dear Friends, This summer, I find myself reflecting on what this season means for the young people we serve. But for youth experiencing homelessness, it can bring greater uncertainty. The meals they relied on at school disappear. Daily routines vanish. This has been a season of both meaningful progress and sobering news. There was a…

Scroll down for a gallery of photos from the day. On Saturday, July 11, San Francisco came together for something the city had never done before: One City Day, a citywide day of service spanning all 11 districts. At Larkin Street Youth Services, that meant dozens of volunteers and staff members rolling up their sleeves…

This week, we celebrated the grand opening of a home that 32 young adults already call their own. It’s a small sentence with a big meaning: stability, safety, and a real shot at the future they deserve. A New Affordable Housing Community for Transitional-Age Youth and Adults 78 Haight pairs 32 homes for transitional-age youth…

September 22, 2026 Update: Thanks to your advocacy, this funding was protected. Your calls, emails, and persistence made a real difference—and because of you, the CalOES YE and HY Pilot programs will continue to sustain critical services for youth experiencing homelessness in San Francisco and across the state. We’re grateful for the support of Assemblymember…

  On April 16, 2026, our community gathered at The Conservatory at One Sansome for the Paving the Way Gala, bringing together over 350 supporters united around a shared belief: every young person experiencing homelessness deserves the opportunity to build a stable, self-determined future. Together, the evening raised $1 million in support of our programs.…

  At Larkin Street Youth Services, we see the resilience and potential of young people every day—but we also see the challenges that can put them at risk of homelessness. The 2024 Youth Point-in-Time Count showed the first increase in youth homelessness in San Francisco since tracking began, underscoring the urgency of strengthening prevention. The…

Larkin Street’s 2025 Annual Impact Report Released Thanks to your support, more than 2,093 young people experiencing homelessness received the support they needed to thrive! Read more about our results, financials, supporters, events and special guests throughout the last year in our 2025 Annual Impact Report: Below, we’re including the full text of the letter…

We’re grateful to the San Francisco Examiner for recently highlighting the Trust Youth Initiative, a two-year pilot program exploring how direct, unconditional cash support can help young people experiencing homelessness build stability. Launched in August 2023, the initiative provided 45 young adults with $1,500 in monthly cash assistance, alongside case management and Larkin Street’s supportive…

Support Young People this Holiday Season Celebrating the Trust Youth Initiative The Trust Youth Initiative (TYI) Program has concluded, and we’re proud to reflect on the impact it has had on youth experiencing homelessness. This first-of-its-kind pilot program in the United States provided direct cash support, financial guidance, and consistent coaching to help young people…

Dear Friends, As we move into the winter season–a time of reflection, gratitude, and renewal–I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to stay hopeful in challenging times. For me, that hope comes from showing up for my community. Through Larkin Street, I’ve seen how compassion can change a life. Every young person who…

Expanding Youth Wellness with Support from Delta Dental Healing often begins with small, meaningful moments: a safe space, a listening ear, or the reassurance that you matter. At Larkin Street Youth Services, our Wellness Program provides these moments every day for youth ages 18–24, helping them build strength, resilience, and the tools to thrive. Thanks…

We were recently featured in the San Francisco Public Press in their article, “SF’s Transgender Residents Still Face Threats, Even in Sanctuary City” by Madison Alvarado. The piece explores the resilience of San Francisco’s transgender community and the role of local organizations, like Larkin Street Youth Services, in creating pathways to stability and opportunity. Supporting Transgender…

A Night of Youth-Led Brilliance On August 22, the stage at American Conservatory Theater’s The Rueff Theatre came alive with the extraordinary talents of young people from Larkin Street Youth Services. This year’s Performing Arts Night: Transcendent Stories delivered a moving showcase of music, dance, and spoken word, an evening that highlighted the ingenuity, courage,…

Proven Leadership Advancing Transparency and Trust in Nonprofits We’re honored that our CEO, Sherilyn Adams, was recently featured in a San Francisco Examiner opinion piece by Sam Cobbs, CEO of Tipping Point Community. The article, “How Nonprofits Can Regain San Franciscans’ Trust,” highlights Sherilyn alongside Alexandra Bernadotte of Beyond 12 and José Quiñonez of Mission…

Stand with fearless youth. Give today. Our Division Director of Government Relations, Marnie Regen, was mentioned in a news article covering the U.S. House of Representatives’ passage of a federal budget bill that includes significant cuts to social safety net programs, along with extensions of tax cuts for higher-income earners. As an organization dedicated to…

Stand with fearless youth. Give today. Dr. Coco Auerswald: A Leader in Youth Homelessness Research Dr. Colette “Coco” Auerswald, professor at UC Berkeley’s School of Public Health, was recently featured in a UC Berkeley News article for her groundbreaking work hiring youth with lived experience of homelessness as paid researchers. Her approach centers youth voices…

Stand with fearless youth. Give today. I Love Tenderloin Week 2025 Larkin Street Youth Services is proud to participate in I Love Tenderloin Week 2025, a week-long celebration of community, culture, and creativity in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood. From April 21 to 27, the Tenderloin buzzes with vibrant events, and we’re excited to open our…

Stand with fearless youth. Give today. Larkin Street Youth Services Featured in Mission Local on Prop C Budget Proposal We were recently featured in Mission Local as part of their coverage on a new city budget proposal that could change how Proposition C funds are used. The proposal outlines a potential shift of $89 million…

Stand with fearless youth. Give today. Larkin Street Youth Services Featured in Nob Hill Gazette: Gala Raises Over $1 Million to Support Ending Youth Homelessness We’re thrilled to share that Larkin Street Youth Services was recently featured in the Nob Hill Gazette for our annual Paving the Way Gala, a powerful evening that raised over…

Stand with fearless youth. Give today. Supervisor Jackie Fielder Visits Casa Esperanza On May 30, Supervisor Jackie Fielder visited Casa Esperanza, a permanent supportive housing site for Transitional Age Youth (TAY). The site is a collaborative effort between Larkin Street Youth Services and Mission Action, working together to provide lasting housing and opportunities for young…

Stand with fearless youth. Give today. Dear Friends, I’m still feeling the love and energy from our Paving the Way Gala on May 8—what a beautiful night. Being surrounded by so many of you reminded me that we’re not alone in this work. Together, we are creating real hope. Thanks to your partnership, we’ve made…

Larkin Street Receives $325K to Support Youth Programs We are honored to have received a grant from the Saint Francis Foundation, as announced in their latest press release highlighting community investments in vital healthcare and social services across San Francisco. It’s a privilege to be recognized alongside other impactful local nonprofits, and we’re deeply grateful…

At this year’s Paving the Way Gala, our community came together for young people experiencing homelessness.  On May 8, 2025, we gathered for the 23rd annual Paving the Way Gala at The Conservatory at One Sansome in San Francisco. With 360 supporters in attendance to provide transformative opportunities for youth experiencing homelessness. The evening was…

We were recently featured in The San Francisco Examiner by Keith Menconi, where the article sheds light on the complex challenges nonprofits like ours are facing due to shifting federal and local funding landscapes. A recent freeze on federal grants—tied to changes in DEI-related funding priorities—has placed many organizations, including Larkin Street Youth Services, in…

Dear friends, The past weeks have been filled with uncertainty, and we know this weighs heavily on all of us—our staff, our supporters, and most importantly, the young people we serve. As the government evaluates funding programs and policies, many essential resources remain in limbo, and support for vulnerable communities is at risk. “We don’t…

Black History Month Celebration: Culture, Community, and Legacy Black History Month is a time to honor the resilience, creativity, and lasting contributions of Black leaders, artists, and changemakers. At Larkin Street Youth Services, we marked this important month with a celebration that brought together staff, youth, and community supporters to uplift Black culture, history, and…

Thanks to your support, more than 2,012 young people experiencing homelessness received the support they needed to thrive! Read more about our results, financials, supporters, events and special guests throughout the last year in our 2024 Annual Impact Report: Below, we’re including the full text of the letter from our Executive Director, Sherilyn Adams, and…

Winter Fest was a joyful celebration, brought to life by the energy, creativity, and leadership of the young people in our community. From decorating ornaments and singing karaoke to bowling, puzzles, and capturing memories in a photo booth, the day was filled with fun and connection. A shared meal and live music from a DJ…

We’re proud to share that Berkeley Side has featured us in their recent article about the reopening of Turning Point, our transitional housing program in Berkeley. This acknowledgment highlights a significant milestone as we extend our services to the East Bay. After two years of renovations supported by the City of Berkeley and other partners,…

Dear Friends, During the holidays, I gather with my chosen family, and this tradition reminds me of the warmth, support, and sense of belonging we all seek. For so many youth at Larkin Street, this community becomes their chosen family—a place to come to when they have nowhere else to go. This holiday season, let’s…

We are honored to be featured in Nob Hill Gazette, which highlights our work to support young people experiencing homelessness in San Francisco. With over 1,100 young people on the streets each night, the need for action is urgent—but together, we can create brighter futures. Sherilyn Adams, our CEO, reflects on her personal connection to…

Celebrating a New Chapter: Turning Point Reopens in Berkeley Today, Larkin Street Youth Services proudly celebrates the grand reopening of Turning Point in Berkeley, marking our first expansion into the East Bay. This milestone reflects our commitment to reaching more young people and building stronger, more inclusive communities. This achievement would not have been possible…

In a recent feature by SF Public Press, Kelsey Pimentel, our Associate Director of Youth Leadership, highlighted the significant challenges unhoused individuals face when they lose identification during encampment clearings. This loss can severely restrict access to vital city and federal programs. Responding to this issue, the city’s Homelessness Oversight Commission passed a resolution on…

In a powerful op-ed, our CEO Sherilyn Adams, alongside other Tenderloin leaders, urges San Francisco to release delayed Dream Keeper Initiative funds, which are crucial for advancing equity for Black and African American residents. These funds address systemic inequities in housing, education, and economic opportunity. As Adams and her co-authors emphasize: “Systemic stumbling blocks demand…

Dear Friends, As we process the results of Tuesday’s election, I’m reflecting on what this moment means for all of us. We may hold different perspectives, but we can all recognize that some members of our community—the youth we serve, friends, family, and colleagues—may be feeling a heightened sense of vulnerability. For people who are…

A Night to Shine On October 18th, the talented young people of Larkin Street Youth Services lit up the stage at this year’s Performing Arts Night. Showcasing their amazing skills in singing, dancing, and spoken word, they filled the room with energy, emotion, and a strong sense of unity. Every performance highlighted their creativity, strength,…

We’re excited to share that Larkin Street Youth Services was mentioned in a recent press release by the Golden State Warriors and the NBA, celebrating Warriors CFO Josh Proctor as San Francisco Business Times Bay Area CFO of the Year in the non-public company category. This honor was awarded at the Bay Area CFO of…

Larkin Street Youth Services was recently featured in The Marin Lawyer, the official publication of the Marin County Bar Association, in an article discussing the Bay Area’s housing affordability crisis and its impact on homelessness. Written by Emily Harrington, the article, “How Nonprofits Are Tackling Homelessness and How You Can Help: Interviews with St. Vincent…

Morgan Philbin’s article, “The Shelter System Isn’t Equipped for LGBTQ+ Youth,” highlights the significant challenges faced by LGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness. These young people often encounter barriers in shelters due to family rejection, rising hate crimes, and discriminatory policies. The urgency of this issue is underscored by a nationwide study of nearly 35,000 LGBTQ+ youth.…

We are thrilled to announce that our CEO, Sherilyn Adams, and CSO, Ilsa Lund, co-authored a groundbreaking article recently published in the prestigious Frontiers in Public Health. The article, “Keeping Young Researchers Out of Harm’s Way: Conducting Youth Participatory Action Research with Young People Experiencing Homelessness,” explores innovative research methodologies that involve youth experiencing homelessness…

Dear friends, It is with a heavy heart that I address the recent Grants Pass v. Johnson decision. This ruling allows police to arrest individuals experiencing homelessness for sleeping outside, even if they have nowhere else to go. Larkin Street is opposed to any criminalization of homelessness, and months ago, signed onto an amicus brief…

In an op-ed published by the SF Examiner, our CEO Sherilyn Adams highlights the ongoing challenges faced by California’s young population, exacerbated by the pandemic. With over 10% of Californians aged 16-24 not in school or the labor market and a significant correlation between youth homelessness and future housing instability, urgent action is needed. The…

Dear Larkin Street Family, Happy Pride Month! Celebrating 40 years of service, we look back to 2004 when we launched the Castro Youth Housing Initiative (CYHI), providing a safe haven for LGBTQ+ youth. I vividly remember handing out welcome packages, each with an alarm clock, to our first residents. Today, despite facing legislative threats and…

Celebrating Larkin Street Youth Services 40 Years of Impact This year marks a monumental milestone for Larkin Street as we celebrate 40 years of dedicated service and unwavering commitment to addressing youth homelessness. As part of our celebration, we invite you to explore our anniversary publication, “40 Years of Impact,” a comprehensive look back at…

Dear Larkin Street Family, As I reflect on our Paving the Way Gala, my heart is filled with gratitude. Celebrating 40 years of dedication to Larkin Street’s mission was deeply meaningful. The evening was a gathering filled with laughter, unity, and a renewed commitment to ending youth homelessness. Your generous contributions have truly made a…

2024 marks a monumental year as Larkin Street Youth Services commemorates its 40th anniversary. Join us in celebrating the visionary founders, the thriving alumni, the dynamic participants, and the dedicated staff who together amplify our mission. Our comprehensive support in education, employment, housing, mental health, and the arts has fostered resilience and success, showcasing the…

Larkin Street Youth Services Marks a Significant Achievement with The Lark Inn’s Award Larkin Street Youth Services is delighted to share a pivotal accomplishment: The Lark Inn has been recognized with the 2023 Gensler Community Impact Award in the “Housing & Homelessness” category. This award signifies our steadfast commitment to supporting youth experiencing homelessness in…

In February, Senator Butler’s visit to Larkin Street sparked a productive dialogue led by our CEO, Sherilyn Adams, and Chief of Programs, Candice Thomas. They discussed enhancing government support and finding comprehensive solutions for trafficking and homelessness. Senator Butler’s engagement underscored the transformative potential of collaborative efforts.  Since 1984, Larkin Street has been supporting San Francisco’s youth,…

As Black History Month wraps up, we’re reminded that celebrating Black excellence is something we should do every day, not just in February. At Larkin Street Youth Services, we’re proud to share the stories of our team members who really stand out for their leadership, strength, and commitment. Their experiences inspire us to keep the…

During Black History Month, Larkin Street is honored to showcase the remarkable achievements of our Black team members. We celebrate the exceptional work of Olaywa Austin, Asha Robertson, and Deon D. Price. Olaywa Austin, Culture & Learning Manager, Culture & Learning DepartmentOlaywa enriches our team with a unique blend of experiences, from winning a 3rd…

As Black History Month unfolds, Larkin Street takes great pride in highlighting the incredible contributions of our Black staff members. Among the standouts are Linease Buckner, Kenyaun Christie, and Ruth Alexander. Linease Buckner, Program Manager, Turning PointLinease joined Larkin Street in August 2022, playing a pivotal role in the critical phase of launching our first…

Larkin Street Youth Services is pleased to announce that we have received a grant from the Airbnb Community Fund. This support is a meaningful contribution to our ongoing efforts to assist young people experiencing homelessness. We extend our gratitude to Airbnb and its host community for their partnership and commitment to strengthening communities. Elevating Our…

Honoring the Legacy of Jo Kennedy At Larkin Street Youth Services, we honor those whose lives reflect a deep commitment to service, learning, and community. Jo Kennedy is one such individual, whose legacy continues to inspire our work with young people in San Francisco. Born to Hugh Kennedy, an Irish immigrant who arrived in the…

For trans and gender-nonconforming youth, Larkin Street Youth Services continues to provide housing and comprehensive support services, including medical care, food assistance, employment support, and education programs. “A high percentage of LGBTQ young people experience homelessness because of family or community rejection. They’re not able to stay with their parents, guardians, or whoever they were…

Celebrating Sherilyn Adams20 Years of Visionary Leadership Two Decades at Larkin Street: A Wake-Up Call That Shaped Our DirectionReflecting on the past twenty years at Larkin Street, it became increasingly clear that many young people were in need but remained unseen. This realization underscored the need to strengthen our efforts—not only in resources, but in…

Thanks to your support, more than 1,735 young people experiencing homelessness received the support they needed to thrive! Read more about our results, financials, supporters, events and special guests throughout the last year in our 2023 Annual Impact Report: Below, we’re including the full text of the letter from our Executive Director, Sherilyn Adams, and…

Last month, we marked a significant milestone for our Mission Inn housing site: its one-year anniversary. This occasion was not just about the passage of time, but a celebration of resilience and the power of community collaboration. Over the course of its first year, Mission Inn has become more than a housing program—it has grown…

The spotlight was on the young and talented participants of Larkin Street Youth Services during two unforgettable evenings of artistic expression at the recent Performing Arts Night. This event was a testament to the creativity and determination of youth who took the stage to showcase singing, dancing, and poetry. The performances were filled with energy,…

In an impactful visit that underscored the importance of youth-centered initiatives, Administration on Children, Youth, and Families (ACYF) Commissioner Rebecca Jones Gaston recently visited one of our housing sites. The visit highlighted the range of services offered through our programs, including wellness, education, and workforce development. It also underscored the value of collaboration and open…

The recent article from CBS News sheds light on the ongoing challenges faced by residents of San Francisco’s Tenderloin District due to homeless encampment fires. Among those affected is Ashanti, a determined individual who, with the support of Larkin Street Youth Services, has successfully turned her life around and now works full-time. However, she and…

Meet Hayden, a gifted musician whose story reflects the impact of community support and its power to transform lives. On the brink of homelessness, Hayden turned to Larkin Street Youth Services in a moment of urgency. Our team responded quickly, offering not just shelter, but a place to call home. His apartment became a turning…

The bustling, vibrant cityscape of San Francisco is home to a story of resilience and transformation. Aaron, an LGBTQ+ young person who once experienced homelessness, found a place of safety and acceptance at Larkin Street Youth Services. Aaron’s journey began in one of Larkin Street’s emergency shelters and continued toward securing stable housing of their…

Send an email today to OPPOSE the Mayor’s Our City, Our Home Homelessness Proposal or Call into the Budget Hearing Committee (Contact Information Below)   We hope this message finds you well. We urgently need your help to protect the crucial resources that are instrumental to our families and youth facing the harsh reality of…

In a remarkable display of community collaboration and compassion, AEC Cares recently embarked on a transformational renovation project at one of our emergency shelters, the Lark Inn. This project aimed to revitalize the facility, creating a safe and welcoming environment for young individuals experiencing homelessness. The impact of this renovation extends far beyond the physical…

Ending youth homelessness requires that we make it rare, brief, and one-time. In the third of three policy briefs exploring solutions to end youth homelessness, this document focuses on what it takes to ensure that young people sustain their housing for good. What drives youth homelessness, and what keeps a young person stably housed long-term?…

Dear Larkin Street family, Demonization as a means to further disempower marginalized populations is as old as history itself. As LGBTQ+ individuals and leaders of Larkin Street Youth Services, we are alarmed by the demonization of queer and trans people across the nation and even here in our midst. Our community’s strength and resilience are…

My dearest Larkin Street Fam, Our recent Paving the Way Gala on Sunday, May 7, has filled us all with gratitude and inspiration. Our guests’ generosity fueled our mission as we surpassed our fundraising goal—raising over $1 million—and ignited a beacon of hope for youth experiencing homelessness! Our vibrant emcees, the remarkable Franco Finn and Larkin Street…

Larkin Street is thrilled to participate in a new pilot program called Trust Youth Initiative (TYI), a direct cash transfer program. This initiative is in partnership with Google.org, Point Source Youth, UpTogether, and Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago. The goal of this program is not only to help address youth homelessness but also…

My Dearest Larkin Family, As the pages of time turn to spring, I cannot help but be reminded of all the hardships that have befallen our community this past winter. We have weathered a major storm that brought devastation to our unhoused neighbors, witnessed the tragic shooting that shook the Asian American Pacific Islander community,…

Journey with us as we highlight the transformative stories of young people engaged with Larkin Street Youth Services. Through our holistic approach encompassing education, job training, housing, mental health care, and the arts, we’re unlocking each young person’s immense potential. Celebrate their journey towards resilience, self-sufficiency, and a brighter future.

Q: Tell me about your career background and how you got to your current position. A: When I was an executive assistant in 2011, my then managers told me they were going to open a school in Richmond. I was intrigued and wanted to help. As the school’s first employee I was able to support in…

As America becomes more unsafe for trans youth every day, Larkin Street is committed now more than ever to protecting their rights and providing a safe space for transgender young people. Although California is a sanctuary for trans youth, other states are passing legislation restricting or banning healthcare access, including gender-affirming care. As always, Larkin…

We, at Larkin Street, are deeply saddened to announce the passing of one of our beloved staff members, Carlton “Mr. C” Benson, who served as our Senior Manager of Client Engagement.  Mr. C was known for his compassion and welcoming smile. He had the ability to build strong and meaningful relationships with the young people…

Q: Tell me about your career background and how you got to your current position? A: I have been a youth worker since I was a youth myself. At 17, I left my hometown in upstate New York and moved to Boston. There, I worked as a front-line staff member at a youth center in…

Q: Can you tell us a bit about your career background and what led you to your current position? A: I’ve worked across multiple industries throughout my career, including transportation, healthcare, and nonprofit. My previous role was with the Bayview Hunters Point Foundation, where I worked from 2008 to 2019—about 11 years. I started as…

Larkin Street program participants celebrated the holiday season with our annual Harvest and Winter festivals! We had such an incredible time celebrating the holidays at both of these events and are so grateful for our staff and volunteers who made these events so special. Both Harvest and Winter Fest were filled with great food, music,…

The three young people featured in this three-minute video—Christian, Earlasha, and Traci—have overcome incredible challenges, yet they remain positive and hopeful. This is what Larkin Street is proud and humbled to do each day: provide positivity, support, mentorship, skills training, basic needs, and hope. Watch the video to learn more about their stories and how…

Dear friends, I’ve learned a lot since joining the Larkin Street board more than six years ago, including startling statistics, like 50% of chronically homeless adults first experienced homelessness as young people. The type of early intervention practiced at Larkin Street works to stop homelessness at its root by providing resources so young people can…

November is National Runaway Prevention Month (NRPM), a public awareness campaign designed to educate the public about the experiences of runaway and homeless youth. This month is a time for individuals, organizations, and communities to come together, share resources, and work to end youth homelessness. Each year, Larkin Street participates in this movement through a…

Larkin Street staff member Kenyaun Christie shared his experience as a frontline worker serving the homeless population in California. In the CalMatters article, he discusses what it’s like to do this work and why it is essential for California leaders to make a stronger commitment to supporting this dedicated workforce. “As a survivor of the…

Thanks to your support, more than 1,466 young people experiencing homelessness received the support they needed to thrive! Read more about our results, financials, supporters, events and special guests throughout the last year in our 2022 Annual Impact Report: Below, we’re including the full text of the letter from our Executive Director, Sherilyn Adams, and…

Fred Finch Transfers Berkeley Youth Housing Program to Larkin Street,Ensuring Commitment to Solving Bay Area Youth Homelessness Larkin Street Youth Services and Fred Finch Youth & Family Services are thrilled to announce the historic handover of the Turning Point transitional housing program in Berkeley, California. As of August 1, Larkin Street has assumed operation of…

Performing Arts Night celebrates the talents of young people in our Art Program, which offers opportunities in visual, performing, digital arts and more. This event gives young people the chance to express themselves as well as explore careers in the arts. This year’s event was filled with so much talent and creativity, and we are…

Every two years, the city and county of San Francisco conducts a Point-In-Time count by canvassing the county with a team of volunteers. Additionally, a team of young people who have lived experience of homelessness conducts a supplemental count of youth under the age of 25. In the weeks following the street count, a survey…

The Frisc shares stories about San Francisco’s challenges, including homelessness, the housing crisis, and street safety, while advocating for an inclusive, diverse, affordable, and innovative city. See an excerpt below: “‘Housing first’ is the current best practice, and providers working with young people agree. However, for young adults under 25, who made up 14 percent…

“Mental health problems don’t define who you are. They are something you experience. You walk in the rain, and you feel the rain, but you are not the rain.” — Matt Haig Tia Bell is an agent for change. When it comes to young people experiencing homelessness and their mental health, she is often the…

Marnie Hatch offers former foster youth and young people going through the court system, stability and hope.  As the Program Manager for two different housing divisions at our agency, she gives our clients a chance at a better future.  “I love helping clients. I love watching them, when things start to click, and I see…

Kenyaun Christie wears many hats at our agency. He is the Assistant Director of Navigation, and his primary role is to help young people find housing. Each year, he supports and places approximately 200 to 300 young people into our supportive housing programs. He is Larkin Street’s housing expert. “It’s very rewarding. We have some…

To say Courtney Brown is thankful would be an understatement. Courtney is the Program Director at Larkin Street Academy. She is grateful for finding this job, for the support she had growing up, and for the opportunity to now pass along her experiences to the roughly 500 young people who are part of the Academy.…

We are so honored to be one of the beneficiaries of The Grass Roots Gay Rights Foundation grant! The Grass Roots Gay Rights Foundation has been around since 1991 supporting organizations that promote a happy, healthy, and connected Bay Area community. Their support will help us continue our work to empower LGBTQ+ young people to…

We were so thrilled to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of our signature gala, Paving the Way, at the beautiful San Francisco Botanical Garden! The Larkin Street family gathered outdoor to celebrate young people and their accomplishments as well as our generous donors! We honored Sam Cobbs, Tipping Point’s CEO, with our Anne B. Stanton Award…

No young person should find themselves without a safe and stable place to call home. Yet an estimated 4.2 million young people will likely experience homelessness this year in the United States, and most are Black, Brown, and/or LGBTQ+. The need for bold action to end youth homelessness is increasingly urgent as we continue to…

Eleven years ago, retired software engineer Greg Kieber found a new purpose at Larkin Street. “I feel like I’m helping the organization move forward, and that’s really what I want to do. I feel committed to this place; I want to help it succeed. I have passion for the mission.” Greg has been instrumental in…

*** PRESS RELEASE *** MAYOR LONDON BREED CELEBRATES GROUNDBREAKING OF NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN HAYES VALLEY New 100% affordable housing development will create 63 units for low-income residents and previously unhoused transitional aged youth San Francisco, CA — Mayor London N. Breed and community leaders today celebrated the groundbreaking of 78 Haight, located on the…

Raionna Thompson’s motto is: “Education is the key to everything.”As Larkin Street Youth Services’ Associate Director of Education, she leads our learning centers, programs, and academic support team. She is ready to help young people unlock any door they are ready to walk through. “I’ve always taken education very seriously but I also understand it’s…

Kelsey Pimentel came to Larkin Street Youth Services to find her voice and her calling. As the Program Manager of Youth Leadership, Kelsey works with 18–24 year olds looking for support, stability, and security. She oversees our Youth Advisory Board (YAB), a group made up of young people wanting to empower youth and advocate for…

Dear friends, As we emerge from this pandemic and transition to the next chapter, I continue to be amazed and be inspired by the creativity of our staff and the young people we serve. While we’re seeing new opportunities on the horizon, there are still new challenges ahead – both for staff and young people…

Discover the stories of young people overcoming challenges with Larkin Street Youth Services. See how our comprehensive services like education, job training, housing, and mental health support, alongside our arts program, are paving the way for a future free of youth homelessness. Join us in celebrating resilience and the power of community.

KRON4 highlights stories of young people experiencing homelessness in San Francisco and how they get help. See here for an excerpt:“We know that about 50% of the folks who are experiencing homelessness who are over the age of 18 had their first experience between the ages of 18 and 25, right? So we know the…

Here are some ways you can help reverse the trend: Read our 2021 Policy Brief: A Focus on Prevention for an outline of policy recommendations that will help us continue to eliminate youth homelessness and make it rare, brief, and one time. Become an Ambassador. Host a gift card and/or clothing drive throughout the month of…

Greetings, As a proud Larkin Street Board of Directors (BOD) Member for the past eight years, I am excited to share the continuing BOD work and progress to center the voice of the youth Larkin Street serves. It is both professionally satisfying and personally fulfilling to be the Chair of the Board Recruitment and Governance…

This year, our Larkin Street Academy (LSA) team is committed to serving our young people even more deeply while continuing to address ongoing needs. During the past year, LSA faced many challenges. The pandemic forced education programs to migrate online, making it harder to engage with students. Our team also identified a student loan crisis…

We recently had a visiting artist share about her experience working with youth artists in our Creative Lab, which is part of Larkin Street’s Art Program. Within this cohort, young people created music with Hip Hop for Change, learned about Arts Entrepreneurship, and participated in a showcase. I recently had the opportunity to teach a…

Everyday a team of four from our Outreach program walks around the City to spot young people experiencing homelessness or at-risk of homelessness who need help. Our team typically looks for young people who frequently hang out on the streets with a backpack and who may not have clean clothes. Some young people experiencing homelessness…

Our 15th annual CFO of the Year Awards was a great success! Guests helped us honor the Winners and Finalists for the 2021 CFO of the Year, including 2021 Hall of Fame – Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Mark Hawkins of Salesforce. This year’s event was different from previous years. In order to ensure our guests’…

Thanks to your support, more than 1,633 young people experiencing homelessness received the support they needed to thrive! Read more about our results, financials, supporters, events and special guests throughout the last year in our 2021 Annual Impact Report: Below, we’re including the full text of the letter from our Executive Director, Sherilyn Adams, and…

Huge thanks to SF Examiner for covering the importance of building relationships with young people experiencing homelessness. See below for an excerpt from the article: “Change happens at the speed of trust,” Adams explains. “For many young people living outside, trust in systems and adults is not there because of their experiences and trauma. We…

California is home to nearly 1/3 of all youth experiencing homelessness in the nation. On any given night, more than 1,200 young people have no safe, reliable place to sleep in San Francisco. As 50% of all people experiencing homelessness in San Francisco first experienced it before the age of 25, resourcing transitional youth with…

Hello friends, This Pride, we celebrate with you the progress we’ve made collectively for the young people we serve to come out safely—out of their shell, out of the closet, and out of the experience of homelessness! Reflecting on my own experience coming out, I am acutely aware of the access, opportunities, and assurances of…

We are ancestors in the making. Thank you for working with us to continue developing a world where no young person will experience homelessness, so that one day our descendants can live boldly in freedom and in safe community. Together we’re making progress! Scroll below to see how you can participate in area community events honoring the…

Make your voice heard:   Sample Tweets This week is your last chance to make your voice heard on the San Francisco budget and young people need you! Join us in advocating for young people on Friday, June 25! Give public comment: Budget and Appropriations Committee Friday, June 25, 2021 at 10am, call-In: 1 (415)…

At Larkin Street, we take pride in showing up as our full, dynamic selves from all experiences and backgrounds. We are proud to celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander culture, leadership, and excellence within our diverse team every day. Here are some previews of just a few incredible changemakers who identify as Asian American Pacific Islander…

On April 29, 2021, we were thrilled to premiere, Paving a New Way, a very powerful documentary directed by filmmaker Natasha Florentino for Larkin Street Youth Services. This film showcases the resiliency and perseverance of three young people who have experienced homelessness in San Francisco. Thank to YOU, we exceeded our fundraising goals for the 19th annual…

Dear Friend, I spent yesterday morning—perhaps like you—anxiously waiting to learn whether George Floyd’s family might be served a measure of justice. Then the verdict came in and I felt relieved, hopeful, and saddened all at once. My mind leapt immediately to its potential effect on the youth we serve. For Black youth, who are…

On April 13, All Home launched a Regional Action Plan (RAP), which aims to reduce homelessness in the Bay Area by 75% within three years.   The press conference, attended by our Executive Director Sherilyn Adams, All Home Founder and CEO Tomiquia Moss, Chief Partner Officer Ken Kirkey, Bay Area Community Leader Brandy Jenkins-Lee, and…

Thanks to KCBS Radio for highlighting how the pandemic has affected youth experiencing homelessness, as well as the gap in services when addressing their needs. “While the pandemic has spurred on a massive rehousing effort that’s gotten thousands of homeless Californians into shelter, advocates warn that many unhoused young people are getting left behind. KCBS…

Dear friends, The first blooms of Spring have arrived, and with them, our hopes for positive change and a renewed spirit of optimism so sorely needed in our community. This sense of optimism is tempered by last year’s grueling toll, most especially on those we serve who are disproportionately youth of color and/or LGBTQ+. With…

A message from our Chief Development Officer, Gayle Roberts:   As an out and proud trans woman—and member of Larkin Street’s C-suite leadership team—I invite you to join me and the staff of Larkin Street in celebrating the 12th International Transgender Day of Visibility (TDoV) on Wednesday, March 31.   Founded twelve years ago to…

The James Irvine Foundation recognized leaders who have adapted their work and continued to innovate during the COVID-19 pandemic. See below for a highlight from The James Irvine Foundation featuring our Executive Director, Sherilyn Adams:   The COVID-19 pandemic forced Larkin Street to quickly deploy programs to protect young people’s health and meet increased demand…

At Larkin Street, we are outraged by the violent, targeted attacks and rising anti-Asian sentiment happening in our communities. According to reporting from NPR, New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco have all seen increases in hate crimes against Asian Americans since the onset of the pandemic. These numbers are widely understood to be underreported.…

This Black History Month marks almost exactly a year since the COVID-19 pandemic reached the US, and nine months since George Floyd’s murder. While deep inequities, racism, and white supremacy have existed in our country for more than 400 years, this past year has been a tipping point. Changing the systems and structures that perpetuate…

Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia says he plans to donate $12.5 million to Rising Up to combat youth homelessness in San Francisco and the Bay Area, San Francisco Mayor London Breed announced Wednesday. This generous donation will help the coalition house 145 young people and provide homelessness prevention services to another 105. The coalition aims to…

On Tuesday, December 9, Board of Supervisor Matt Haney, along with Shelter-in-Place (SiP) hotel providers, discussed the repercussions of shutting down the program without a clear plan to move residents into permanent housing. Supervisor Haney emphasized that the SiP program has been a necessary public health response and has played a key role in curbing…

Supervisors Matt Haney, Shamann Walton, Hillary Ronen, and Dean Preston announced legislation on Thursday intended to counter the city’s plan to move 500 homeless people out of shelter-in-place hotel rooms by the end of December. Here is a an excerpt: “[The plan] is reckless, poorly thought out, and unfairly played with people’s lives at a…

On Saturday morning—perhaps like you—I awoke to a cacophony of banging pots and pans, honking horns, and spontaneous dance parties erupting in the streets. Across the San Francisco Bay Area, people of all ages and backgrounds gathered to celebrate the outcome of a long-fought presidential election. At Larkin Street, we join San Francisco Mayor London…

Our Executive Director, Sherilyn Adams, along with Brett Andrews and Steve Fields, shared their perspective on Proposition F and its importance to sustaining nonprofit and community-based services in San Francisco. In an op-ed published in the San Francisco Examiner, the leaders of San Francisco’s Human Services Network highlighted rising poverty and homelessness, and the critical…

Empowered young people create a better society for all From time to time, Larkin Street alumni reach out to share how our programs impacted their lives. Melissa, who used our services in the 1980s, recently contacted us to reflect on how staff and programs helped build her resilience. I ran away from home when I…

USE YOUR POWER AND VOTEChange happens when we use our voices collectively. Join Larkin Street in supporting measures A, B, and F, local ballot initiatives that allocate new resources to protect young people experiencing homeless.   PROP A – HEALTH AND HOMELESSNESS, PARKS, AND STREETS BONDAt a critical time for our city, when mental health…

“Ours is not the struggle of one day, one week, or one year. Ours is not the struggle of one judicial appointment or presidential term. Ours is the struggle of a lifetime, or maybe even many lifetimes, and each one of us in every generation must do our part.” – John Lewis Can we be…

Like you, we are incredibly distraught over the recent indictments in the case against the murder of Breonna Taylor. The truth is that a young, innocent Black woman was killed in her sleep by police. The only charge brought against one of the three officers was for endangering people in the neighboring apartment. At Larkin…

Thanks to your support, we served over 2,025 young people this year. Please see below for the full text of the letter from our Executive Director, Sherilyn Adams, and Board Chair, Susan K. Alexander, with their update on the past year, and what’s ahead: Dear Friends, As the two of us reflect on the roller…

/* wp:freeform */ On Friday, the world learned that Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died at age 87 after serving 27 years on the Court. She was a hero to many, and her passing is an immeasurable loss as an unwavering voice for equality. RBG was nominated for the Supreme Court in 1993, only…

Director of External Affairs at Compass Family Services, Mary Kate Bacalao, highlights how underspending on homelessness impacts both staff and people experiencing homelessness in her op-ed published by the San Francisco Chronicle. Here is an excerpt: Government contracts don’t pay full costs, which means among other things that contracts systematically underpay frontline workers. Across our…

/* wp:freeform */ Our very own Sherilyn Adams, along with leaders from 3rd Street Youth Center & Clinic, Five Keys Schools and Programs, At The Crossroads, Community Housing Partnership, Homeless Youth Alliance, Huckleberry Youth Programs, LYRIC, San Francisco LGBT Center, and Young Community Developers, shared their expertise on the importance of investing in young people.…

San Francisco’s legislators will be making key decisions about the City’s budget priorities, and we need your help to ensure our collective voices are heard! On Monday, August 24, the Board of Supervisors will hear public comment on the budget and appropriations. You can take part by tuning in at sfgovtv.org. You can also take…

On August 10, we came together with our community partners Supervisor Matt Haney, Code Tenderloin, St. Anthony’s, Tipping Point, Megablack SF, and award-winning artist Malik Senefru to create a mural in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood. “Let’s recognize the large number of unhoused Black people navigating and residing in the Tenderloin, and let’s hurry up and…

We are thrilled to announce that Google.org has chosen Larkin Street as one of the recipients of their new grants! Their support will help us ensure that young people experiencing homelessness can have what they need to recover from the impact of COVID-19 and continue to thrive. Read about Google.org’s Housing First approach here: In…

Updated July 22, 2020 Overview  Larkin Street’s primary focus is on the health and safety of the youth we serve and our staff. We are committed to providing critical, life-saving services that young people need to come inside, get housed, and rebuild their lives, which is now more critical than ever.   We are regularly updating our…

This week our nation and community lost one of the great men of the last half-century, U.S. Representative John Lewis. His legacy of freedom-fighting and justice-seeking stretched from the Jim Crow era to the Black Lives Matter movement.   When Hollywood dramatizes his life, it will read like a fictional movie character created to span the entire civil rights movement through the eyes of one person.    But we must remember, it was all true.    A child of sharecroppers, growing up he…

Thanks to your tremendous outreach and support, California state funds for Homeless Youth Emergency Services and Housing Program will remain intact for 2020. The Governor’s budget also includes an 8% set-aside for youth in Homeless, Housing, Assistance and Prevention funds! Because of the ongoing advocacy of thousands of people like you, California continues to be…

Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865, General Gordon Granger with a regiment of Union soldiers landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. This event occurred two and a half years…

Before moving to San Francisco, Angel was scared to express who he really was. As a young gay man of color, he didn’t feel proud of himself or deserving of acceptance. These feelings became hard to manage, and he turned to substance use to cope. The turning point for Angel was finding a community within Larkin Street programs. Through…

To understand the seismic shift occurring everywhere around us, we must acknowledge that structural racism has existed since our nation’s founding. It persists today: from redlining (in which people of color were, and are, unable to purchase real estate), to the war on drugs, stop and frisk, and the disparities in crack versus powder cocaine…

Huge thanks to Teen Vogue for highlighting the unique struggles that young people experiencing homelessness are facing during the pandemic. While Shelter-in-Place orders have changed the way we all live, for young people experiencing homelessness its brought new obstacles. Here’s an excerpt: For homeless youth in housing, being confined indoors may prove challenging in other…

The importance of home has never been more apparent. Under Shelter-in-Place, our homes have become our offices, gyms, restaurants, and most importantly sanctuaries. Your home quite literally determines your survival during a pandemic. But on any given night there are more than 1,100 young people on the streets of San Francisco without a safe place…

Huge thanks to KCBS Radio for featuring the new city-sanctioned Safer Sleeping Site in their “A Place to Shelter” series. We have partnered with the City of San Francisco and Homeless Youth Alliance to open a new city-sanctioned Safer Sleeping Site in the Haight Street neighborhood. With room for up to 40 tents, the site…

A special heartfelt thank you to these partners for supporting our work to end youth homelessness through COVID-19 emergency grants. Because of the generous support of these companies, we have been able to provide PPE, essential worker pay, food access and emergency funds for youth, remote service delivery and equipment, hotel rooms for young people,…

We are pleased to announce that on April 29, Larkin Street Youth Services, in partnership with the City of San Francisco, officially opened the doors to a new temporary Shelter-in-Place (SiP) hotel, known as Site #1. This site, part of the SiP Hotel Initiative in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, is available to for up to 55 young people…

As someone who’s recovering from past substanceuse, it’s been difficult not being able to go to mysupport group meetings. I’ve been sober for a yearand a half now and I intend to work very hard not tolet COVID-19’s impact get in the way of my recovery.That’s not to say it hasn’t been a struggle. Eventhough…

Giving back isn’t cancelled! Let’s come together on May 5 for #GivingTuesdayNow and respond to the unprecedented impact caused by COVID-19.  The need for services to support young people experiencing homelessness has never been more real and immediate. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, almost 50% of young people accessing Larkin Street’s services have lost their jobs and they need our help now more than…

Dear Friends, As we navigate these unprecedented times, I want to stop and acknowledge all of you – our supporters, board members, staff, and volunteers. I recognize the sweeping effects that COVID-19 has had on our daily lives, shared communities, and the world around us. Like everyone, I miss being close, in community, and look…

On April 20, Supervisor Matt Haney, hosted a virtual press conference and urged leaders to speak out against the lack of widespread testing in high-risk places like homeless shelters and the need for frontline workers in the homeless response system to earn hazardous pay. Currently, the Department of Public Health is providing testing for symptomatic…

We are so grateful for G-Eazy’s support during this global pandemic. For the entire month of April, the Bay Area rapper is providing meals to our housing programs through a partnership with Mi Morena. Huge thanks to KTVU’s coverage of this critical support during the COVID-19 outbreak. Here’s a quote from G-Eazy on why he…

We have created a non-profit COVID-19 resource guide to help other organizations navigate this ever-changing landscape. We are working hard to develop and share solutions needed to maintain operations while doing our part to mitigate risks to the youth we serve and our staff. This page will be update frequently as solutions and resources are…

Thomson Reuters Foundation News highlights how the spread of COVID-19 is affecting young people experiencing homelessness who identify as LGBTQ+. Even though Larkin Street has been able to continue services in the midst of this global pandemic, other shelters across the country have been forced to shut down to follow safety precautions over social distancing.…

Please read on for an update on what is happening here at Larkin Street. Our primary focus is on the health and safety of the youth we serve and our staff. We are committed to continuing to provide critical, lifesaving services that young people need to come inside, get housed, and rebuild their lives, which is now more…

KTVU highlights how COVID-19 is impacting non-profit organizations’ fundraising efforts. Here’s an excerpt from the article: At Larkin Street Youth Services, which provides help and housing for homeless young people, Friday’s gala is now off. Organizers say would have raised about a $1 million. “It will potentially mean we are going to have to think…

SurveyMonkey, a leading global survey software company, has raised over $15 million for nonprofit partners including Larkin Street through its Contribute platform. Through this program, respondents sign up for free, and are sent market research surveys based on the profile they create. For each survey a respondent completes, a 50-cent donation goes to the charity…

Our executive director, Sherilyn Adams, discusses youth homelessness in this podcast with San Francisco City Insider’s Heather Knight. In this episode, Sherilyn debunks the common myth that young people experiencing homelessness in San Francisco are from outside of California. Here is a quote from Sherilyn: “There’s a myth that people come from far away that…

Now in its second year, the Dropbox Foundation has grown to support six nonprofit partners around the world that work to defend human rights—Allies Against Slavery (Allies), GOAL, Larkin Street Youth Services, Physicians for Human Rights (PHR), War Child UK, and WITNESS. These organizations help victims of human trafficking, use technology to document human rights…

We are honored to announce that Verizon has awarded a $100,000 grant to support Larkin Street Academy’s workforce development programs. This grant is part of Verizon’s commitment to increase digital inclusion nationwide by removing the barriers to economic prosperity and ensuring the benefits of technology are accessible to all. The $100,000 grant will strengthen existing…

Our executive director, Sherilyn Adams, shared her opinion on why a Navigation Center in San Francisco would greatly benefit young people experiencing homelessness. In this op-ed piece published by San Francisco Chronicle, she also addressed concerns that people have regarding Navigation Centers. Read the full piece below:  Every great city can be measured by the…

Larkin Street’s vision is not merely to interrupt youth homelessness, but to end it. In addition to our direct service work, we engage at the systems level to address the root causes of homelessness that prevent young people from reaching their full potential. To that end, we’re excited to release our new policy platform. How…

Larkin Street program participants celebrated the holiday season with our annual Harvest and Winter festivals! We started the celebrations with a hot breakfast followed by activities, crafts and music and then lunch. Young people were also thrilled to watch a video from recording artist G-Eazy, who sponsored the event, wishing them a happy holiday! At…

We have joined forces with sfciti to host One City Gives. On December 13, volunteers from tech companies all over San Francisco came together to give back to our city’s young people experiencing homelessness. Read the op-ed below by our executive director, Sherilyn Adams, and sf.citi’s executive director Jennifer Stojkivic about One City Gives and…

Thanks to our next generation group of supporters, Friends of Larkin Street, and guests for making the 10th Annual Sip ‘n Skate a huge success! Because of you, we raised more than $41,000 for young people experiencing homelessness in San Francisco — enough to provide one month of housing, health services and jobs support for…

In the 35 years since Larkin Street opened its doors, we’ve honed our approach into an effective model to end homelessness for young people. Our comprehensive housing, health care, education and employment programs combine to create a solid foundation that empowers young people to reach their goals. In this new video, hear from program participants and…

We can’t think of a better time than during Transgender Awareness Month to announce a new partnership with St. James Infirmary, a peer-based non-profit serving sex workers, a large proportion of whom identify as transgender and have experiences with homelessness. St. James Infirmary will launch  its  first housing program, which will specifically serve individuals who…

We are so proud of Team Larkin Street for accepting the Skyline Challenge again this year, raising over $12,000 for Outward Bound programs for young people experiencing homelessness! Among the brave rappellers and fundraisers were executive director Sherilyn Adams, board members Allison Wysocki (for her sixth year!) and John Viola, partner Scott Walton of BroadwaySF and…

For young people experiencing homelessness, access to basic needs can be a challenge. This holiday season, you can help make sure that young people have what they need to reach their goals and dreams.  GIFT CARDS Ross Safeway Target Walgreens VISA GIFTS (assortment of adult sizes) Hats Gloves Socks (new) T-shirts  (new) Underwear (new) Bras…

We are thrilled to share that Larkin Street expanded its Behavioral Health team by hiring three new clinicians this year! The behavioral health department promotes mental health, emotional resilience, and wellness throughout Larkin Street with programs including one-on-one consultations, groups, and staff training and development. Behavioral health services are key in our continuum of wraparound…

From time to time, young people reach out to us to let us know the impact our programs had on their lives. Chibu’s story is an inspiration to us and we are thrilled to share it with you. My name is Chibuenyi Griffith. I was born in Nigeria, grew up in foster care, hopping from…

Join us in voting yes on Prop A! Last month, the average San Francisco one-bedroom cost $3,750 to rent. Prop A is the biggest affordable housing bond in city history and would lead to the construction of about 2,800 new affordable housing units in the next four years. The measure will help move the needle…

Dear Friends, Heading into what is always a busy holiday season, I am energized by the amazing work of staff and young people at Larkin Street. We’ve kicked off our new strategic plan, which focuses on increasing the availability of housing, employment, and behavioral health services for youth. Alongside these programmatic enhancements, we’re prioritizing providing…

Guests came to support young people showcasing their talents ranging from dance and music to theater and poetry at our annual Performing Arts Night on Sept. 18, 2019. Each performance showed so much creativity and courage — we couldn’t be prouder! Performing Arts Night celebrates the talents of young people in our Art Program, which…

The Walt Disney Family Museum is pleased to announce its 2019 community access exhibition,  A Powerful Force: Working to End Homelessness Through Art, which will feature original artwork created by young people experiencing homelessness. The exhibition’s title was inspired  by Walt Disney himself: “There is great comfort and inspiration in this feeling of close human…

Young people from our Youth Advisory Board, Riley and Jasmine, presented at the 2019 United States Conference on AIDS. The conference held in Washington, DC, focused on the plan to end the HIV epidemic in America. Health departments, community-based organizations, People Living with HIV, People on PrEP, national organizations, health centers, health care providers, donors,…

Thanks to your support, more than 2,200 young people experiencing homelessness received help, hope and so much more! As we celebrate our 35th anniversary, your ongoing commitment to ensuring that every young person can reach their full potential means so much! Read more about our results, financials, supporters, events and special guests throughout the last…

Toof, a new social enterprise company with a goal to give away one million toothbrushes, chose Larkin Street as their inaugural partner. To celebrate their launch, we hosted a brief event in our Engagement and Community Center during which the Toof team made their first donation of toothbrushes.  Here are photos from the event    

In an article from Youth Today, Our Director of Public Funding Mary Kate Bacalao shares her opinion on the consequences of “move along” policing. Being forced to move from trusted safe spots makes young people experiencing homelessness even more vulnerable especially when they don’t have anywhere else to go. Here’s an excerpt from the piece: “…

Thanks to CityLab for highlighting the unique struggles that transgender young people experiencing homelessness face. According to the article, an estimated 40% of unhoused youth in the U.S. identify as LGBTQ, and in some California cities, that proportion is higher. The 2019 Point In Time Count also showed that 46% of all unhoused youth are…

In participation of A Way Home America’s Grand Challenge, Larkin Street’s Youth Advisory Board shares why San Francisco is committed to centering the experiences of youth of color and LGBTQ+ youth in the the work to end youth homelessness. We are so thrilled to share that in September, A Way Home America (AWHA) selected San…

The San Francisco Public Library’s TAY(k) Care Program hosted “Creating Resilience” a multi-media art exhibit featuring the works of the talented young people from Larkin Street Youth Services. At the exhibit’s celebration last week, attendees heard from Peter Carpou, Larkin Street Art Program founder, as well as keynote speaker Amnoni Myers, who discussed resilience as a…

Isabella Black, a Larkin Street alum joined Street Soccer USA, an organization aiming to change the world through soccer. With the help of our programs and soccer, Bella was able to gain confidence. Watch the full video to learn about Bella’s experience with the organization: You can help young people like Bella by donating.  

Thanks to the San Francisco Chronicle for including young people in their fourth annual SF Homeless Project, a coalition of media organizations focusing on homelessness in San Francisco. For 24 hours on July 30, the Chronicle sent journalists all over the city to talk to people experiencing homelessness and one of them is a young…

On July 5, the San Francisco Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing released the 2019 San Francisco Point-in-Time (PIT) Count report.   Every two years, San Francisco is required by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to conduct a homeless count. Volunteers canvas the city on a single night in January to count the number of people experiencing…

Congratulations to the Class of 2019! Staff, family and friends celebrated our Annual Education Graduation where 11 young people received certificates in recognition of their accomplishments over the past year. Young people in our programs completed high school or equivalency and transfers to a four-year institution. Thank you to our presenters Board Chair Susan Alexander,…

Mayor London Breed, along with service providers, held a press conference at Larkin Street’s HQ to announce that San Francisco has received a $9.3 million grant from the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) to provide housing and services for San Francisco youth who are survivors or at risk of human trafficking, specifically commercial sexual…

There are four primary reasons that young people end up on the streets of San Francisco — abuse and neglect, family rejection, inter-generational economic instability, or systems involvement. Very often it’s some combination of all of these reasons. Regardless of the why, most young people who come to Larkin Street tell us that their situation…

Every year, Larkin Street hosts a Queer Youth Space during San Francisco Pride to provide a safe, drug-free space for LGBTQ-identified youth and their friends. This year, everyone enjoyed lawn games, flower crown making, makeup giveaways and a super fun photo booth (view the photo booth images here!), as well as free snacks and drinks.…

You spoke; they listened!   Thank you for your community advocacy on behalf of San Francisco youth experiencing homelessness. Because of your calls, emails, and texts the City has increased funding to provide shelter and housing beds for young people under the age of 18, young people who identify as LGBTQ (including our new Trans-specific housing program),…

Almost 50% of the young people we serve report current or prior mental health issues at entry into housing. This year, we hosted our first annual Mental Health Awareness Month to help raise awareness and to encourage young people to care for their mental health. We celebrated with arts and crafts, makeovers, haircuts, a photo…

Thank you for your ongoing support of the work to end youth homelessness. We need to ask more of you this week because some young people may not receive the services they need to stay off the streets. For all our supporters who live or work in San Francisco, please join us in taking urgent…

This summer, Larkin Street has partnered with local theater company SHN to provide opportunities for young people who are interested in the arts. Read all about it from SHN Magazine: This summer, SHN welcomes a very special group of people to its stages: young people experiencing homelessness who are interested in exploring careers in the…

We are so thrilled to announce that our executive director, Sherilyn Adams, was recognized as one of San Francisco Business Times’ 2019 Business of Pride Outstanding Voices along with 11 fellow leaders paving the way for LGBTQ equality in the workplace. Get to know Sherilyn in this interview with SFBT, her experience in the workplace as…

Huge thanks to KQED News for their coverage of our new housing for transgender young people experiencing homelessness. The piece tackled the struggles that transgender youth reported which motivated Larkin Street to open this new housing as well as past and present experiences of young people currently living there. “It’s nice being surrounded by other…

Huge thanks to the “Crawfathers” for hosting their 4th Annual SF Crawfest, raising more than $70,000 in support of our work to end youth homelessness! Despite the rainy weather, hundreds of guests showed up and enjoyed a traditional Cajun crawfish boil, beer, wine and games. We are so grateful for everyone who came to show…

We are so grateful for the California Coalition for Youth (CCY), a statewide grassroots nonprofit organization serving disconnected young people, for hosting a two-day Youth Empowerment Summit (YES) on April 24 to April 25 at the Sacramento Convention Center! Members of our Youth Advisory Board (YAB), a cohort of  young people in our programs who…

The Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (HSH) and Larkin Street Youth Services are excited to share that our partner, Twitter, just announced a $50,000 commitment to the Rising Up campaign, a public-private partnership that builds on existing programs to cut youth homelessness in half by 2023. Mayor London Breed launched Rising Up in October 2018…

January was an exciting milestone in Larkin Street’s pursuit of improving outcomes for the young people we serve – the wrap-up of a year-long external evaluation of our housing programs! We engaged Harder+Company Community Research to provide external validation that our approach and outcomes framework are strong, and that our work is having its intended…

We are so honored to be a part of this important conversation about the #TimeDone campaign which aims to uplift 8 million people living with a past conviction or record. Current California policies place over 4,800 restrictions that prevent them from getting jobs, housing, and more. Together, we can advocate for policy change so that…

Young people who identify as LGBTQ are 120% more likely to experience homelessness than their non-LGBTQ peers due to the increased likelihood of familial rejection. In partnership with True Colors United, we celebrated #TrueColorsDay, a national day to raise public awareness about LGBTQ youth homelessness. We set up an #Unselfie Photobooth in our Engagement and…

Huge thanks to the San Francisco Chronicle for highlighting our new transitional housing program specifically for transgender young people experiencing homelessness. The new housing program, which is the first of its kind in the nation, aims to provide a safe space for young people to cope from struggles they’ve faced as transgender youths while also…

We’re grateful to Congregation Emanu-El for their enthusiastic embrace of the value of “tikun olam” (“repair the world”) through their support of the work to end youth homelessness this year. From a holiday gift drive supplying backpacks stuffed with gifts for each of the young people in our housing programs to their weekly meal nights…

When Lily Lee was just five years old, she learned that some kids don’t have parents to take care of them. Heartbroken, she decided to use her birthday money to buy gifts for foster kids. Now 12 years old, Lily continues to give to young people in need including those at Larkin Street. Every holiday…

Our executive director, Sherilyn Adams, shared why it’s important for San Francisco to invest in young people to prevent chronic homelessness. Here is the full piece published on the San Francisco Chronicle: No resident, worker or visitor in San Francisco is unfamiliar with our pervasive and systemic homelessness crisis. Homelessness has consistently ranked as the…

Dear Friends, A lot has changed since Larkin Street opened its doors in 1984. From a small storefront at 1040 Larkin Street that served just over 100 teens to a multi-site and multi-service organization that reaches nearly 2,500 young people annually, Larkin Street has truly made an impact on the homelessness crisis in our City.…

We are so excited to announce the opening of a new housing program at Larkin Street that specializes in meeting the needs of transgender youth, the first of its kind in the nation. Transgender youth are significantly overrepresented in the homeless population and are often the most marginalized, disconnected, and traumatized. These young people need…

Thank you Lyft for featuring our very own Sherilyn Adams in your Women’s History Month series. In March, Lyft offered discounted rides to places honoring women’s contributions to our history as well as to select women-owned businesses. Sherilyn chose The Tenderloin Museum as one of the places to celebrate for Women’s History Month. Here is…

Once again, our Paving the Way Gala was a huge success, we raised one million dollars, and we have all of you to thank for that! Mayor London Breed, who has been an impassioned advocate for young people for years, received our Anne B. Stanton Award and shared her own meaningful story. Our Youth Achievement…

Battery Powered, the member-led giving program of The Battery, a private social club based in San Francisco, awarded grants to organizations working to make homelessness in San Francisco a rare, brief and one time experience and we are so honored to be chosen as one of the grantees! The $250,00 award will support capacity-building for…

Celebrate our 35th Anniversary with us by sharing your favorite Larkin Street memory! As an organization that started as a small drop-in center and now provides beds and supportive services for more than 300 young people every night, we are proud of our history. From big to small wins, our past accomplishments are a testament…

Thank you CityLab for publishing our director of public funding Mary Kate Bacalao’s piece on how a service provider’s capacity can shrink when public contracts reimburse funds late, which eventually will affect the vulnerable residents that these nonprofits provide for. In the piece, Mary Kate shares her expertise from experiencing it firsthand as a senior…

Celebrating Larkin Street’s 35th Anniversary! When we opened our doors in 1984, we were small, but strong.   From a storefront at 1040 Larkin Street, the fledgling team provided counseling to more than 100 young people who were otherwise alone and vulnerable to abuse, addiction and exploitation. In the first six months, over three-quarters of the youth who met…

The James Irvine Foundation selected our executive director, Sherilyn Adams, as one of five recipients of the 2019 Leadership Award for her commitment to ensuring that young people’s voices are heard and that lawmakers understand the unique needs of young people experiencing homelessness in San Francisco and across the state. The award comes with $250,000…

Thank you to the San Francisco Chronicle for writing about the importance of having access to technology especially to those who don’t have a home. Young people in our programs who were featured in the article shared that they rely on their phones for everything from tracking public transit, submitting job applications, to the sense…

Mayor London N. Breed, Supervisor Hillary Ronen and community leaders celebrated the groundbreaking of Casa Adelante, a nine-story building located at 2060 Folsom Street led by the Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA) and Chinatown Community Development (Chinatown CDC) with funding from the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development (MOHCD). The project will provide 127 permanently affordable apartments for low-income…

Mayor London Breed joined Airbnb and Twilio today in announcing a $2.7 million commitment to Rising Up, a public-private partnership which aims to cut youth homelessness in half by the end of 2022. Launched by Mayor London Breed in October 2018 with Larkin Street Youth Services selected as the anchor institution, Rising Up will provide…

We are honored to announce the honoree for our 17th annual Paving the Way Gala benefiting our programs and services for young people experiencing homelessness! The gala will take place on Friday, March 22nd at 6:00pm at the Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco. Tickets are on sale now and include a cocktail reception, dinner, awards…

Our executive director, Sherilyn Adams, shared her opinion on how San Francisco’s windfall funds should be used as an opportunity to end homelessness for all by focusing on services for young people experiencing homelessness. Here is the full piece published on the SF Examiner: For the past 30 years, I have dedicated my career to…

In today’s world, a phone is not a luxury — it’s a necessity. From finding housing or a job to staying in touch with a friend, a doctor, or a case manager, young people experiencing homelessness need the lifeline which a phone and other devices provide. Here’s one way you can help young people experiencing…

Young people living in Geary House, one of our housing programs, ended their 2018 by giving back to their community through a program they launched earlier in the year called “Geary House Gives Back.” They meet regularly to distribute items to people in need in San Francisco. On their last give back of the year,…

Many San Franciscans are well-aware that homelessness is an issue in our city. We pass people sleeping on the sidewalk on our way to work or ride BART with people experiencing homelessness, yet, many of us still don’t have a real idea how we can help, or what’s already being done. While ending homelessness for…

Thank you Stanford Social Innovation Review for publishing our director of public funding Mary Kate Bacalao’s piece on how public funding not only falls short of meeting the needs of nonprofits, but can also create added costs. In the article, Mary Kate suggests ways nonprofits can avoid this cycle of under-investment. Here is an excerpt:…

Happy holidays, everyone! We hosted our annual Winter Festival for young people experiencing homelessness once again with food, presents, music and more thanks to donations and volunteers from our incredible community. Beginning with breakfast, we offered special activities throughout the day for young people like arts and crafts, face painting, games and an awesome live…

This weekend, the Golden State Warriors’ Kevin Durant visited Larkin Street for the second time to spend the day with young people at our Geary House program. During his visit, KD took his time getting to know young people and our programs while posing for photos and handing out holiday gifts including new backpacks, caps and…

Huge thanks to Friends of Larkin Street for all their hard work on this year’s Annual Ice Skating Party, raising over $50,000 to benefit our work to end youth homelessness! And thanks to everyone who attended. Your contributions help provide programs tailored to meet the needs of young people experiencing homelessness. Thanks to our generous…

With the support of our friends from Alaska Airlines, we are looking forward to providing a warm and happy holiday season for young people in our programs. On Giving Tuesday this year, November 27, Alaska Airlines will host a winter clothing gift drive at Union Square Ice Skating Rink. Guests who bring winter clothes for…

Thank you to the San Francisco Chronicle for highlighting voices that matter in the debate surrounding Prop C, a local ballot measure that would increase taxes on businesses to fund homelessness services in San Francisco. Anubis Daugherty, a Larkin Street alum and Prop. C advocate, talked about his experiences with homelessness services and how the…

Our Cookin’ the Night Away live auction item winners from the 2018 Paving the Way gala were delighted to have Four Seasons Executive Chef Cyrille Pannier join them for a lively evening of food and fun on Nov. 3! With their hosts Suzi Alexander, Patrick Kiss and Sherilyn Adams, along with Jennifer and Chris Brahm and Sally Shapiro,…

Our partnership with the San Francisco Young Adult Court (YAC), which began this summer, will help even more young people transcend homelessness in the years ahead. Founded on studies suggesting that young adults’ brains are not fully developed (and therefore they may not understand the impact committing a crime will have on themselves or others),…

Experiencing homelessness presents many unforeseen challenges including the inability to choose where to sleep, when to wake, and what to eat or wear. During this holiday season, please give the gift of choice back to our young people by donating an item from the list below! GIFT CARDS: Ross Safeway Target Walgreens VISA GIFTS (assortment…

Dear Friends,  The last few months have been a whirlwind of special guests and events that have advanced the movement to end youth homelessness in significant ways. Between the passage of legislation like State Bill 918 to clearly designate a state-level lead for youth homelessness and partnerships with Salesforce and the City of San Francisco,…

So proud of  Team Larkin Street for accepting the Skyline Challenge again this year, raising over $10,000 for Outward Bound programs for young people experiencing homelessness! Among the brave rappellers and fundraisers were Sally Shapiro, Allison Wysocki for an impressive fifth year, and Willis Newton, one of the top two fundraisers for the entire event,…

Thanks to Congregation Emanu-El for hosting a Yom Kippur discussion with young people experiencing homelessness in San Francisco. Guest speakers included Rabbi Jason Rodich, Director of Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing Jeff Kositsky and UC Berkeley’s Dr. Colette Auerswald. Young people from Larkin Street, Zak Franet and Anubis Daugherty shared their experiences with homelessness…

A young person in Larkin Street’s programs, KAR, was invited by our partners at Dropbox to showcase his artwork in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. “Sueños de Mezcal,” KAR’s collection of paintings, features the endangered Axolotl, also known as the Mexican Salamander. We are so proud of KAR for presenting his pieces and answering questions from the…

For the first time, San Francisco is truly prioritizing the needs of young people experiencing homelessness through Rising Up, a new public-private partnership which aims to cut youth homelessness in half by 2023. This initiative is a result of years of advocacy by young people and staff from Larkin Street working in partnership with City…

Our executive director, Sherilyn Adams, shared her opinion on Governor Jerry Brown’s decision to veto Assembly Bill 186 and how this affects young people experiencing homelessness in today’s San Francisco Chronicle. Here is the full text of the piece: I have lost friends, family members and countless clients to the deadly consequences of addiction, which…

Thank you Nonprofit Quarterly for publishing our director of public funding Mary Kate Bacalao’s piece on the importance of federal and state budgets prioritizing nonprofits. Public funders need to refrain from dictating how the money should be spent so that nonprofits can properly fill budgetary gaps or prepare for any unforeseen financial setbacks. Here is…

Thanks to the growing support of our community, nearly 2,500 young people experiencing homelessness received help, hope and so much more! Thank you for your commitment to ensuring that every young person can reach their full potential. Read more about our results, financials, supporters, events and special guests throughout the last year in our 2017-2018…

Salesforce.org, the philanthropic arm of the Salesforce platform, announced a $500,000 grant to Larkin Street Youth Services at their annual Dreamforce event in downtown San Francisco in September. We’re grateful for this new partnership with Salesforce, which also includes a pledge to volunteer time and skills to Larkin Street. Salesforce’s commitment to ending homelessness was…

Larkin Street Youth Services is proud to be an official non-profit of Dreamforce ’18, the largest technology conference in the world. Hosted by Salesforce, the cloud computing company, Dreamforce will run September 25 through 28 and sprawl over several blocks in Downtown SF offering breakout sessions, demos, networking and special events. We’re so grateful to be…

Below is a letter we received from a Larkin Street alum who wanted to share how our programs impacted their life. Read on: Dear Friends at Larkin Street Youth Services, I was a drop in client from 1991 to 1994 and then a client at the clinic from 1994 to 1997, when I turned 20.…

Thank you to YES! Magazine for writing about the importance of connecting with wildlife as a coping mechanism. Our youth participate in programs with Wildmind, a sanctuary for more than 50 nonreleasable wild animals in Half Moon Bay that help heal and inspire children and young adults. Here’s an excerpt from the article on the collaboration…

Thank you to the San Francisco Chronicle for the coverage of District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman’s visit to Larkin Street Academy. Supervisor Mandelman spent the afternoon talking with young people accessing our services about what circumstances led them to us and what the City can do in order to better support young people experiencing homelessness. Here…

Young people dazzled the crowd at our Art Program’s annual Performing Arts Night at Kelly Cullen Community as they showcased their talents ranging from dance, music, theater and poetry. Every performance was a testament of their resiliency, courage, creativity and we couldn’t be prouder. We would like to acknowledge the following young people for putting…

Larkin Street alum Zak Franet was invited to speak at the Tipping Point Community benefit on May 3 at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, talking about how our programs gave him the tools to walk out of homelessness and into independence. Since 2005, Tipping Point has raised more than $150 million to educate, employ, house and support…

Congratulations to the Class of 2018! You did it! Staff, family and friends celebrated our Annual Education Graduation where 14 young people received certificates in recognition of their accomplishments over the past year. Our young people completed programs including high school or equivalency, transfers to a four-year institution, and bachelor’s degrees. Thank you to our…

Bay Area-native and recording artist G-Eazy came back home to support young people experiencing homelessness by launching his new Endless Summer Fund and making Larkin Street the first ever beneficiary! G-Eazy, who is currently in the middle of the Endless Summer Tour, came to us with his interest in learning about LGBTQ services and art programs.…

Our thanks to the San Francisco Chronicle for highlighting the achievements of young people through the Young Adult Court, a program that helps young defendants facing non-violent felonies. The program was founded on studies suggesting that young adults’ brains are not fully developed, causing some people to commit crimes without fully processing the weight of their decisions. With rehabilitation…

In the midst of America’s ongoing border crisis, Larkin Street’s Director of Public Funding, Mary Kate Bacalao, shares her opinion on how family separation will lead to more homelessness. Thousands of children in detention centers today are at grave risk of an opposite and equally abhorrent fate as young adults: abandonment to the streets, where they…

Huge thanks to KQED for giving Tyler Cook, one of our young people, the voice to tell his story about what it’s like to be a young person experiencing homelessness. Despite having to face many obstacles, Tyler remains hopeful and excited about his future. Here’s an excerpt from the story: “The pain he was feeling on…

Every year, Larkin Street hosts a Queer Youth Space during San Francisco Pride to provide a safe, drug-free space for LGBTQ-identified youth and their allies. This year, our Queer Youth Space garnered a record-breaking attendance with more than 2,300 young people visiting us! Everyone enjoyed lawn games, flower crown making, makeup giveaways and a super fun…

Our thanks go to the San Francisco Examiner for highlighting the work being done and that still to do to combat youth and family homelessness in San Francisco. This coverage coincided with the annual SF Homeless Project media day, this year on June 20. The article covers a roundtable discussion with several service providers. Here’s a…

From time to time, Larkin Street alumni reach out to us to let us know the impact our programs had on their lives. Mira, who used our services in the late ’80s, got in touch with us through Instagram recently and told us a bit about how and why she found Larkin Street, and what…

Thank you to the San Francisco Business Times for collaborating with us to produce this year’s Bay Area CFO of the Year Awards Special Edition. We are honored to work with San Francisco’s number one source for local businesses and information to feature the movement to end youth homelessness. Here is an excerpt: In San Francisco,…

Thank you CBS SF Bay Area for covering Crawfest, a fundraiser benefiting Larkin Street, and the amazing fundraisers who made it happen! The video and article talk about the importance of private and unrestricted donations to non-profit organizations. Here’s an excerpt: “Unlike public funding which is designated for specific programs like shelter, the money raised by the…

Huge thanks to the “Crawfathers” for hosting their 3rd Annual SF Crawfest, in the process raising more than $40,000 in support of our work to end youth homelessness! Set in Fort Mason on a beautiful Saturday afternoon, hundreds of guests enjoyed a traditional Cajun crawfish boil, beer, wine and games. Learn more about Larkin Street’s work…

Recently, we held a focus group inviting 15 volunteers from Twitter to talk about how to better engage the community with our work. We started the day with a tour of our space and then broke into small groups to dive into messaging and communications channels for reaching young professionals. This was a valuable opportunity…

Thank you Scholastic Kids Press Corps for covering our 2018 Paving the Way Gala in the”Kid Reporter’s Notebook” post. The article summarized our work and our gala where we raised funds for the movement to end youth homelessness. The author Manat Kaur, also mentioned our results which showed that nearly 81 percent of the young people…

About 49 percent of homeless young people in San Francisco identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning. Young people who identify as LGBTQ are 120% more likely to experience homelessness than non-LGBTQ youth. While many factors contribute to LGBTQ youth homelessness, identity-based family rejection is the most commonly cited reason. In celebration of…

The last several months have brought several important new investments in services for young people experiencing homelessness from our partners in the public sphere. First, Larkin Street has endorsed the “Housing for All” ballot measure, which will provide critical funding for housing and prevention for San Franciscans experiencing or at-risk of homelessness through a 1.7%…

Dear Friends, Thank you, as always, for your ongoing support of Larkin Street Youth Services. Together, we’ve reached a critical time in the work to end youth homelessness. We face huge challenges – devastating gun violence, federal policy changes that negatively impact those we serve, and the sheer number of young people still on the…

This April, we’re sending a huge thank you to all of Larkin Street’s corporate partners. Employees from numerous Bay Area companies were instrumental in helping us achieve so much in the last year by volunteering their expertise to address operational needs such as IT, communications, and HR. Our partnership with Google is an exemplary model…

Thanks SFBay for writing about the $10 million OES grant that Assemblymember Phil Ting helped secured for Larkin Street and three other organizations working to end youth homelessness. One of our young people, Anubis Daugherty who spoke at the press conference announcing the grant, was featured in the article. Here is a quote from Anubis:…

We would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to everyone who joined us at the 16th Annual Paving the Way Gala! Every year is always better than the last and we owe all of you for that. Senator Scott Wiener and Assemblymember Phil Ting, who have both been in the forefront of the fight to end…

The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) selected four California Coalition for Youth members as recipients of the Homeless Youth Emergency Services and Housing (YE) Program. California has the second highest rate of unsheltered homeless youth in the nation, and the number continues to grow. Nearly 31% of all homeless youth in the United…

Thank you SF Examiner for publishing our director of public funding Mary Kate Bacalao’s op-ed piece on how the criminalization of homelessness is causing people experiencing homelessness to move from sidewalk to sidewalk, which is resulting in the contamination of San Francisco’s streets with HIV, hepatitis B and C and other viral diseases. Here is…

Thanks to The Chronicle of Social Change for writing about the needs of commercially sexually exploited children in California. The article suggests implementing services that focus on a harm reduction approach, which means creating therapeutic, services-based placement models for up to 100 regionally based placements statewide. Here is an excerpt from the article featuring one…

Young people living in Geary House, one of our two-year congregate supportive housing programs, recently launched a program called “Geary House Gives Back” as a way to contribute to the community. Getting together on a regular basis, they give out hygiene kits, food, towels and coats to those in need in downtown San Francisco. Most recently, the…

Thank you UCSF Science of Caring for highlighting our efforts to meet the health care needs of young people experiencing homelessness! Here is the story in full: In San Francisco, it is not uncommon to find teens and young adults wandering the streets, many of them runaways, many of them confronting struggles with substance use, risky…

We’re thrilled to announce today that Larkin Street was selected as one of the inaugural grantees of the new Dropbox Foundation! The Dropbox Foundation partners with organizations that defend human rights around the world. Larkin Street was the only San Francisco non-profit selected, placing us in the excellent company of worldwide organizations like WITNESS, GOAL…

Thank you m/OppenheimTV for featuring us in your Nonprofit Spotlight this month. The article highlighted our organization’s history, programs, results and our goals. Here is a quote from our very own Sherilyn Adams: “Over the course of a year, Larkin Street Youth Services works with 2,500 young adults and provides housing to about 300 participants. …

Our Engagement and Community Center has re-launched Fruity Wednesdays every week from 5 to 7 pm! The goal of the event is to provide a safe, inclusive, and entertaining social space for LGBTQ youth and allies. Fruity Wednesdays is in partnership with The Grand Ducal Council of San Francisco, a nonprofit drag group. They are teaching…

No young person should find themselves without a safe and stable place to call home. Yet across the country, one in 10 young people ages 12 to 25 will experience some form of homelessness in a given year. Our 2018 Report on Incidence and Needs of Youth and Young Adult Homelessness in San Francisco, produced by…

Today Senator Scott Wiener and Assemblywoman Blanca E. Rubio joined advocates for youth experiencing homelessness, including Larkin Street, to introduce a new bill to help the rising number of homeless youth in California. Senate Bill 918 is sponsored by the California Coalition for Youth, Tipping Point Community, Equality California, John Burton Advocates for Youth, the Corporation for…

Thank you ABC7 News for interviewing us about how the new tax codes will affect donations. Changes in the tax code will double standard deductions which might discourage people from making charitable donations. Our communications manager Veronica Pastore talked about how this could impact us: “With the change in the tax code we do feel…

Thank you to Teen Vogue for writing about the struggles that young women who are experiencing homelessness face because of their periods. The stigma surrounding menstruation and the unaffordability of tampons and pads have made it even harder for young women experiencing homelessness to thrive. Here is an excerpt from the article, which features an interview with…

On November 4, 2017 two of our young men at Geary House, Gentry Reed and Desmond McElory, were granted the opportunity to be a part of the Men’s Brunch Society’s Annual Bruch held at the Waterfront Restaurant in Oakland’s Jack London Square. The Men’s Brunch Society, a group dedicated to mentoring, job placements, and assisting…

From housing and healthcare, to education, employment and mental health services, last year, young people took bold steps to reach their goals and we’re so proud of their hard work. Read more about our work, financials, supporters, events and special guests throughout the last year in our 2017 Annual Report (click here to view). We…

Thanks to The Bay Area Reporter for publishing A. Skye’s journey as a young person experiencing homelessness in San Francisco. Skye chronicles how they ended up in San Francisco and how they found Larkin Street Youth Services. Here is an excerpt from the piece: “I arrived at the SF Transbay Terminal on a Greyhound bus.…

We were thrilled to host a special guest today: the Golden State Warriors’ Kevin Durant! He came to visit one of our transitional housing programs and hand out gifts. Huge thanks to our friends at Alaska Airlines for introducing us to KD and making this day happen! Here is a video of the visit thanks to…

Young people experiencing homelessness are often invisible to the world. In order to survive, they find ways to blend in, hiding in plain sight. Our new video, #InvisibleNoMore, brings to light the resiliency of young people and the extremes they face to ensure they have enough to eat, a place to sleep and some level of…

Thank you for joining us for the 8th Annual Friends of Larkin Street Ice Skating Party! We had a great time last week, and hope you did too! Your contributions go towards providing housing, education and employment training, and health and wellness support to help young people get off the street for good. A huge…

We were shocked and saddened to learn of the unexpected passing of San Francisco’s Mayor, Edwin M. Lee. A dedicated public servant, he embodied the values of San Francisco throughout his more than 30 years of service. For those of us at Larkin Street, his leadership on issues of homelessness and its impact on individuals,…

Our annual Performing Arts Night was a success! We are so proud of our young people for mustering the courage to perform in front of a crowd to create an entertaining and inspiring night for us. This year’s theme, “Passion to Overcome,” showcased their hard work, great talents and passion for arts and music. The…

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Thanks to EdSource for writing about a study done by the University of Chicago called Missed Opportunities: Youth Homelessness in America. This study is one of the most accurate ever because it’s based on phone surveys. Typical surveys on homelessness are done through schools which could result in inaccuracy due to factors like families’ reluctance…

As the U.S. grapples with youth homelessness, a Chapin Hall study reveals new insights into a hidden and underserved population.   The groundbreaking study released today by Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago reveals one in 10 young adults between the ages of 18 and 25, and at least one in 30 adolescents between…

Our Executive Director Sherilyn Adams co-authored an editorial with  Dr. Colette L. Auerswald, Professor of Public Health and MS Program Director for the UC Berkeley-UCSF Joint Medical Program that was just released called “Counting All Homeless Youth Today So We May No Longer Need To Tomorrow.” The editorial focuses on the importance of looking at youth homelessness as a…

Thank you to San Francisco Public Press for publishing a 40-year timeline on local and national efforts to end youth homelessness. From Congress passing the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act, to the birth of Larkin Street Youth Services, the establishment of the “transitional age youth” as ages 18 to 24, cities conducting the first biennial…

We would like to extend our gratitude to our partners in designing, building and funding our Engagement and Community Center’s new all-gender bathrooms. We replaced our original bathrooms in order to create a safe and accessible space for transgender youth, who are often over-represented among young people experiencing homelessness. The stalls and sinks are also…

Thanks to The Bay City Beacon for writing about Assembly Bill 932, authored by Assemblymember Phil Ting and signed by Governor Jerry Brown this week. The state bill will address homelessness in California by expediting the approval of local homeless shelters on public land under the declaration of a shelter crisis. Here is an excerpt…

In partnership with the University of California San Francisco and the San Francisco Department of Public Health, we are working to address HIV prevention and the care needs of LGBTQ youth and youth of color in San Francisco. Eva Kersey, our manager of Health Interventions and HIV Prevention, worked with Adam Leonard, a nurse in the…

Dear Friends, On any one day, week or month there are certainly tragic events in our lives. But it seems over the past few weeks there’s been a disproportionate number, with the catastrophic fires in the North Bay, the Las Vegas shootings, numerous hurricanes in the U.S. and Caribbean, and earthquakes in Mexico. On top of…

Thank you to KPCC, a member-supported public media channel, for covering last week’s youth homelessness hearing called by Senator Scott Wiener and Assemblywoman Blanca Rubio. Speakers including our own Sherilyn Adams emphasized the importance of addressing youth homelessness in eliminating chronic homelessness. Here’s an excerpt: “Fifty percent of chronically homeless people had their first homeless…

From time to time, young people reach out to us to let us know the impact our programs had on their lives. We received the letter below recently and we were so moved by the story, we asked its author if we could share it with our supporters.   I am contacting Larkin Street Youth…

Dear Friends, As we head into cooler fall and winter months, my thoughts inevitably turn to the more than 1,300 young people sleeping on the street in San Francisco every night. This number is both a source of frustration and hope. The Point in Time count conducted by the City of San Francisco, along with…

On Tues., Oct. 10, California State Senator Scott Wiener and Assemblymember Blanca Rubio held a joint informational hearing at the Los Angeles LGBT Center to discuss the causes of homelessness among youth and young adults and the need for solutions, including funding, to get young people off the streets. Members of the California Coalition for Youth…

We want to sincerely thank Wanda Johnson for visiting Larkin Street today to share her experiences and a message of hope with our staff and young people, as we grapple with the disproportionate number of deaths among young black men at the hands of police officers. Wanda’s son, Oscar Grant III, was 22 when he was fatally shot…

Thank you to EdSource for interviewing us for their article about youth homelessness in the Bay Area. San Francisco is home to tech start-ups and business industries but unfortunately, it is also home to unaffordable housing — a leading cause of student homelessness. Here is an excerpt from the article: “No one knows exactly where…

  More than 450 young people will spend the holidays with Larkin Street – staying in our emergency shelters, transitional living programs or accessing our drop-in centers.   Help make this season special by donating an item from the list below!   NEW: You Shop, Amazon Delivers! Now you don’t even have to leave home…

We are so proud of our young people for finding the courage to share their experiences of homelessness in San Francisco. Five Larkin Street young people were featured in the very first Youth Issue of Street Sheet this month. Street Sheet is a publication run by San Francisco’s Coalition on Homelessness, which focuses on supporting…

With an ability to design research to meet urgent community needs—and to directly apply that research to create change—researchers and community leaders are powerful partners for impacting community health needs. Dr. Colette Auerswald from UC-Berkeley, Dr. Marguerita Lightfoot from UCSF, and our own Sherilyn Adams, Executive Director of Larkin Street Youth Services, are among 15…

Larkin Street Youth Services seeks an evaluator for a formative evaluation of Larkin Street’s transitional housing programs. More specifically, we are seeking a consultant to assess whether and to what extent these programs have met their goals, understand why and provide recommendations for improvements. The primary audience for the evaluation is Larkin Street’s management team,…

Looking out over San Francisco from the roof of the 46th floor of the Hilton Union Square was a lovely experience – until we remembered we were about to go over the edge of the building, rappelling down 23 stories! Team Larkin Street would not be cowed by fear though – all five of our…

To our young people, staff and community, In the wake of the hateful people and ideas behind the “Unite the Right” white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, VA this weekend, we would like to take this opportunity to re-affirm our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. Larkin Street rejects the hatred, violence and ideology driving the…

Congratulations to the Class of 2017! We celebrated all of our graduates from the past year at our Annual Education Graduation on Aug. 4, 2017. Amidst a crowd of friends, family, staff and supporters of Larkin Street, our young people received certificates and were recognized for their accomplishments over the past year. We’re so proud…

Great thanks to United Way of Bay Area and the Mayor’s Youth Job Plus Program for joining us for the first annual Neighborhood Job Fair at our headquarters. Over 25 companies attended and provided information and conducted interviews with young people ages 16 to 24 from all over San Francisco. Employers like Starbucks, Target, and Allied Universal mingled with local luminaries like Supervisor Jane Kim and countless young people seeking employment. “This was the largest job fair…

Thanks to Stateline Magazine for their coverage on of youth homelessness throughout the nation. Many communities, including San Francisco, are now providing early interventions and services to end homelessness before it becomes long-term.  Here’s a short excerpt from the article featuring Larkin Street’s executive director: “Ultimately, the best approach to ending youth homelessness is to take…

Thanks to San Francisco Magazine for their coverage on the arrival of the Online Navigation and Entry (ONE) System in San Francisco. This system will help social programs and nonprofit organizations better serve individuals experiencing homelessness. Our very own Ilsa Lund, Senior Director of Operations, shares her thoughts on the contributions the ONE System will make to…

Thanks to ABC7 News on their coverage of the San Francisco Homeless Project. Our own Sherilyn Adams, Executive Director, is featured, calling for increased awareness and support for young people experiencing homelessness, as well as several young people who have accessed Larkin Street’s services. ABC7 on youth homelessness: Full article: Homeless youth seek refuge, healing in…

Thanks to the San Francisco Examiner for their coverage on Mayor Lee’s 2017-2018 budget proposal. Our own Mary Kate Bacalao, Director of Public Funding, was featured among local residents and social program leaders calling for an increase in funding for homeless and other social services. Here’s a short excerpt: “Mary Kate Bacalao, director of public…

Thanks to the SF Examiner on their coverage of San Francisco’s most recent homeless count. Here’s a short excerpt: “Sherilyn Adams, head of a leading nonprofit in the state helping homeless youths, questions the results of the one-night count, saying homeless kids “know very well how to hide.” Other tallies indicate there are more kids…

On Fri, June 16, San Francisco’s Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing released the 2017 San Francisco Point-in-Time (“PIT”) Count report. On one night in January, volunteers canvassed the City to count the number of people experiencing homelessness. The PIT Count attempts to capture anyone who is visibly homeless in San Francisco, both in shelters…

Thanks to SF Weekly for their coverage on Mayor Lee and Supervisor Sheehy’s plan to dedicated $1.54 million toward San Francisco’s homeless youth. Larkin Street will receive a grant of $289,000 to increase services to the LGBTQ youth. The remainder of funds will be dispersed among multiple other programs throughout the city who serve this vulnerable…

UPDATE: The San Francisco Chronicle just posted coverage of today’s meeting, and shared more background. Read more in the Chronicle’s SF supervisor, mayor earmark more money for homeless youth   Mayor Edwin M. Lee and Supervisor Jeff Sheehy today announced $1.54 million in increased funding for services to support San Francisco’s youth, particularly those experiencing homelessness.…

Larkin Street has joined the National Network for Youth to encourage sustained funding and congressional support for the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) and Education for Homeless Children and Youth Act (EHCY), and we need your help! We urge everyone who is concerned with the well-being of children, families, and youth to take the…

Our 12th annual CFO of the Year Awards was wonderful! More than 500 guests helped us recognize the Winners and Finalists for the 2017 CFO of the Year, including 2017 Hall of Fame – Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Robin L. Washington, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Gilead Sciences, Inc. Robin delivered an exceptionally moving acceptance…

What a night! This year we gathered at Tank18 to eat, drink, and raise money for Larkin Street Youth Services. The Second Annual Uncorked with Friends of Larkin Street was a night of great wine and even better company, with a silent auction that kept us on our toes and an open bar that kept conversations flowing! The food was delicious,…

We’re excited to share some wonderful coverage in the Chronicle and Examiner over the last week about Larkin Street’s work to advocate for more funding specifically for youth homelessness. While there has been much talk lately about addressing chronic homelessness in SF, Larkin Street’s position is that to end homelessness, we must end youth homelessness.…

Thanks to the SF Examiner for their coverage on the need to increase housing for young people experiencing homelessness. Our very own Executive Director, Sherilyn Adams, is featured expressing the importance of investing now in more services. Here’s a short excerpt: “Sherilyn Adams, executive director of Larkin Street Youth Services, said The City has simply…

Meet Yesi. Born in Ethiopia, she came to the U.S. to attend school, an impossibility in Ethiopia as the youngest child of a poor family. She was adopted by a foster family, but then kicked out for participating in a LGBTQ pride parade. With few friends and no family nearby, Yesi was suddenly homeless. After…

Approximately 40% of youth experiencing homelessness identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT), yet LGBT young people make up less than 7% of the general youth population. While identity-based family rejection is the most commonly cited reason, there are many factors that contribute to LGBT youth homelessness. The True Colors Fund is working to reduce…

Please join us in congratulating Allie Cannington and Jayson Dowker, award winners from the California Coalition for Youth’s Taking Action Conference in Sacramento! CCY’s annual Taking Action Conference includes speakers, workshops and more, in order to build community, knowledge and connections between young people who have experienced homelessness, service providers and advocates from across the…

Our staff members, while extremely knowledgeable and well-trained, are not the experts on the lives and needs of young people. Young people themselves are the experts. Our Youth Advisory Board is one way we bring young people’s voices directly into the decisions that affect them here at Larkin Street. As a leadership and advocacy program,…

Finding an apartment in the Bay Area is a challenge under the best of circumstances. Now, imagine facing that process without credit history, a down payment or help moving from friends and family. Given that’s the situation of many young people who’ve experienced homelessness, we launched Pathways, a new program that provides rental subsidies, furniture,…

Thanks to teams from PwC and ClearSlide, runners in the Ragnar Relay contributed more than $20,000 to Larkin Street! Members of the team raise funds directly from friends and family, as well as through a match from PwC, and their combined donations were extremely impressive! We’re so proud of these individuals, not only for getting…

Dear Friends, Spring is a time of anticipation: from warmer weather to upcoming graduations. This year, we’re also anticipating significant social, economic and political changes. Many of you have asked recently how the President’s proposed discretionary budget will affect our work. The truth is, we don’t know yet. For example, Congress typically makes changes to…

When Larkin Street launched our $10 million Growth Campaign, we promised to give young people experiencing homelessness more opportunity to achieve a permanent pathway off the streets. This Campaign is part of a strategic shift in our work with young people. More than ever, Larkin Street aims not just to interrupt homelessness, but to end…

After 90 hours of hard work with 18 volunteers, our Haight Street housing program has a beautiful new garden!  Friends of Larkin Street, our next-gen group of supporters, organized their first volunteer gardening event on Sat., April 1, and we’re so impressed with the result. Young people living at this facility can now enjoy and…

  What do homelessness, technology and innovation have in common? As we learned at Larkin Street’s annual Corporate Leadership Breakfast on Thurs., April 6, the City of San Francisco is heavily invested in working with all three. More than 100 guests from various fields joined us for a panel discussion over breakfast on “Technology, Innovation, and…

We are proud to announce the 2017 Bay Area CFO of the Year finalists across six categories. All award Finalists will be recognized and Winners announced at the awards dinner and ceremony on Wednesday, May 24 to be held at Hyatt Regency. Chosen by an independent selection panel from nominations collected by the nominating committee, the…

“Technology, Innovation, and Ending Homelessness” benefiting Larkin Street Youth Services Thursday, April 6, 2017The City Club: 155 Sansome St., 11th Floor7:30 to 8:00 a.m. – Coffee and Networking8:00 to 9:00 a.m. – Buffet Breakfast and Program A panel discussion featuring: Jeff Kositsky Director, San Francisco Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing Jay NathChief Innovation Officer, City…

When our friends at the San Francisco Symphony canceled their upcoming shows in North Carolina to protest the state’s HB2 laws, they decided to put on a show to benefit LGBTQ organizations nationwide instead. And Larkin Street is one of the beneficiaries! Join Music Director Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony for Symphony Pride,…

Thank you, Paving the Way 2017!!! This year was even better than we could have imagined – after verifying our calculations, we are proud to share that we raised more than one million dollars to end youth homelessness! Thank you so much to everyone who made this incredible night possible: our generous sponsors, donors, and attendees,…

Join us on April 27th for our 2nd Annual Uncorked with Friends of Larkin Street. Eat. Drink. Be Charitable. Raise a glass and enjoy an open bar along with an evening of games and great conversation at Tank18 while helping at risk and homeless youth in San Francisco. Spend the night mingling with new and…

The first Tech in the City of 2017 was terrific! Raising funds for Larkin Street, the evening’s panel featured rock stars of the health-tech field including: Liz Rockett (Director, Kaiser Permanente Ventures), Alejandro Foung (Founder/CEO, Lantern), Tyrone Anderson (Head of Client Success, Collective Health) and Dr. Scott Hammond (UCSF Center for Digital Health Innovation: Exec. Dir of CDHI/GE and CDHI/Intel machine learning…

  We’re proud to share our 2016 Annual Report, detailing our expenses, revenue and programs for the past fiscal year. Click here to view and download Larkin Street’s 2016 Annual Report   Here, we’re including the full text of the letter from our Executive Director, Sherilyn Adams, and Board Chair, Laura Powell, with their update…

Thanks to the San Francisco Chronicle for their coverage of the upcoming homelessness Point in Time Count. In an effort to qualify the city for as much federal funding as possible, hundreds of volunteers will disperse throughout San Francisco to count the city’s homeless population. Here’s an excerpt from the article: “For more than a decade,…

We’re very excited and proud to announce our honoree for the 15th annual Paving the Way Gala: Jeremy Affeldt, three-time World Series champion and former pitcher with the San Francisco Giants, advocate for Larkin Street, author, and founder of Generation Alive. “I care about the cause of homeless youth because I know these kids aren’t hopeless throwaways,” says…

We are thrilled to share the news that the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded San Francisco $2.9 million through the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Project. San Francisco is one of just ten cities selected nationwide! Many folks on the team here at Larkin Street, as well young people in our services, participated in…

To us, Twitter is more than an amazingly powerful communications platform – they’re also an amazing partner! Since 2012, when the company first engaged with us by donating two dozen MacBook Pro notebooks, Twitter has supported our programs through donations, volunteering and providing services and space. Today, we’re celebrating another generous gift from Twitter: a $50,000 grant for…

Larkin Street Youth Services started more than 30 years ago with a single drop-in center to address the issue of young people living on the streets. Since then, we’ve expanded to offer a continuum of services that are necessary to help young people successfully transition into adulthood and have a permanent pathway out of homelessness. In…

Our annual Winter Festival is one of our favorite events of the year, and this was no exception. More than 100 young people joined us for a sit-down dinner celebrating the winter holidays, followed by dessert, activities and gifts! We had a cookie-decorating station, music, and special guests Very Fairy Hair offering “fairy hair” makeovers including…

On May 17, 2021, Casa Adelante opened its doors to 29 transitional age youth (TAY), seven of whom are parenting youth. Co-developed by Chinatown Community Development Center (CCDC) and Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA) also houses 40 senior households at or below 15% and 25% Area Median Income. The young people who moved in were…

Thank you for your support of our recent budget advocacy! It led to more than $4M being added to the City budget to extend, restore, or build new programs specifically for youth experiencing homelessness. These key wins will: Ensure the continuation of the Emergency Hotel Voucher Program Provide subsidy extensions to young people impacted by…

On Monday May 17,

The 2019 Fresh Meat Festival features edgy, exquisite, extraordinary dance, theater and live music … and a cornucopia of regional and world premieres! These award-winning artists offer gorgeous, loving, bold, beautiful artistry brimming with innovation, resilience and joy. Advance tickets are recommended for this popular event. All performances will be ASL interpreted, and will be…

Big thanks to Univision for this story about a young person who experienced homelessness and got the support he needed at Larkin Street to reach his goals. Watch the video in Spanish:

One of our young people, Bella, is featured in Play Proud, an initiative with FOX Sports aiming to create a safe space for young people who identify as LGBTQ+ through soccer. Watch Bella share her story in this mini video: