Harvest House creates first transitional living space for 18 to 24-year-old males in Sarasota

Harvest House creates first transitional living space for 18 to 24-year-old males in Sarasota

In partnership with Sarasota County Health and Human Services, Harvest House recently added four transitional housing beds for young men ages 18-24 who are experiencing homelessness, matching the four beds already in place for young women.

According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, 70% of people experiencing homelessness are men and unaccompanied male youth. Before now, Sarasota County only had beds for male young adults available at shelters mixed in with the older chronic homeless population.

In 2017, Harvest House opened New Heights, a transitional living program providing young adults who are ready to return to school or build a career with a stable place to live for up to 24 months.

While operating New Heights, Harvest House staff identified the need for young adults to access short-term transitional beds as a precursor to this long-term solution. Short-term transitional housing offers young adults a place to stay for up to 90 days while they work closely with a case manager to identify their specific barriers to stability and implement a plan.

“A 22-year-old experiencing a housing crisis simply does not have the same needs as an older adult. Younger people living on the streets are often exploited in ways that bring them further into chronic homelessness. We needed a separate space for supportive housing that is uniquely designed for this age group and meets the needs of someone who may not be ready for a long-term commitment,” said Cheryl Clunk, director of Family and Young Adult Services at Harvest House.

“With the new transitional beds for young men, we now operate 17 beds for young adults ages 18 to 24. This is a dream come true. In addition to our youth drop-in center and outreach services, these 17 beds fill a major gap in our community,” said Erin Minor, CEO of Harvest House.