Helping Hands: Homeless Shelter Serves Hollywood Teens

There's a resource in the community that is reaching out to homeless teens in Hollywood.

The Los Angeles Youth Network is dedicated to its mission of providing a haven for homeless teens.

The non-profit organization runs four homeless teen shelters in Hollywood that offer food, emergency shelter, educational programs, and outreach to hundreds of teenagers each year, most of whom are victims of abuse or neglect, said Outreach Coordinator Kirby Anderson.

The largest shelter is nestled in a nondescript building on Gower Street. With a total of 17 beds, its dormitory setting allows teens a safe place to escape life on the streets while also learning life skills.

In addition receiving housing and food, the youth are enrolled in school, talk to counselors and learn personal hygiene habits.

While many teens find out about the shelters online, Anderson and his staff also comb the area searching for teens. The work has its own share of challenges.

“A lot of youth on the streets are untrusting of adults,” Anderson said. “They think we might be working for the cops.”

Anderson and his team also reach out to schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District. More than 460 homeless kids were enrolled last year in Los Angeles County schools, he said.

The shelters are funded by federal and local grants as well as private donations. Shelters at at Gower and Taft Street reached 280 new teenagers last year, said Zachary Ginder, director of residential and shelter services. He expects them to reach even more this year. The majority of the youth are ages 12 to 17.

Valerie Loza has been a residential counselor at Taft House for nearly a year. That location sees the lowest number of kids out of all the shelters, about six teens a day, she said.

“If it weren’t for these programs, I honestly don’t know where they would be,” she said. “Thank God for places like this. You see them come in here kind of vulnerable and at their lowest point in life. You’d be surprised at how much they can change.”

Some of the kids have faced drug and other problems, she said. In addition to counseling, they also participate in group discussion sessions. Staff members say there is nothing like seeing positive changes taking place in their lives.

“The most rewarding thing for my job has been seeing the turnaround, seeing them come in with nothing,” Anderson said. “A short period of time later, they have confidence. They’re in school and looking at college.”

Changing their lives for the better is part of what the staff hopes is a permanent solution to many of the problems the teens face. Even when it is time for the teens to leave the shelter after their month-long stay, Anderson said they are never abandoned.

“We don’t put kids out on the street without another option,” Anderson said. “We will keep them if they can’t find a home.”

The Los Angeles Youth Network runs two additional locations on Beachwood Drive and Carlos Avenue. All locations are in need of donations including: socks, women’s underwear, deodorant, and feminine hygiene products, Anderson said. To find out how to make a donation, call 323-251-9907.

Editor's Note: Helping Hands is a new standing feature in Hollywood Patch. In each story we profile a service-based organization or volunteer. Do you know an organization or a person we should feature? Email lindsey.baguio@patch.com.