Valley Youth House announces the award of $750,000 over a three-year period to fund the Transitional Living Program (TLP) that provides housing and supportive services to young people ages 16-21 experiencing homelessness in the Lehigh Valley.

The federal Dept. of Health and Human Services Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB) awards the funding through a competitive application process to support organizations and communities that are committed to ending youth homelessness. The TLP provides a community-based system of care to build skills leading to improved well-being and self-reliance.

The TLP is one component of a continuum of Valley Youth House homeless services in the Lehigh Valley that includes street outreach, emergency shelter, support for youth exiting the foster care system to prevent homelessness, supervised independent living for youth in care, and housing for young people experiencing literal homelessness.

Agency-wide, more than 2,800 young people are assisted with emergency services and housing annually.

The holidays are an especially difficult time for the youth and families served by Valley Youth House. The Holiday Gift Drive annually raises funds from the Lehigh Valley community in order to provide holiday gifts to over 1,500 youth and families served by the agency’s programs and services. Now more than ever, nonprofit organizations are in great need of philanthropic support to serve their clients.

The annual holiday gift drive is a way to show young people who are facing difficult life circumstances that someone is there for them. The gift drive is especially meaningful to the hundreds of counselors and dedicated staff who support Valley Youth House youth.

All proceeds from this campaign will provide holiday cheer to young people who have experienced homelessness, housing insecurity, or are currently enrolled in foster care, and now live in a Valley Youth House shelter, group home or apartment, or are receiving important counseling and therapeutic services from Valley Youth House.