Mat Su Youth Housing

PROVIDE SAFE SHELTER FOR YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS WITH A GOAL OF CONNECTING THEM TO A NETWORK OF CARING INDIVIDUALS AND AGENCIES ABLE TO ASSIST THEM IN BECOMING SELF SUFFICIENT.

BELOW ARE SOME OF MY HOUSE'S ACHIEVEMENTS AS OF FYE 12/31/2022: SERVED AN AVERAGE OF 105 CLIENTS PER WEEK WITH FOOD, CLOTHING, SHOWERS, LAUNDRY, CASE MANAGEMENT, AND WRAP-AROUND SERVICES. THIS IS ALL DONE WITH A STAFF OF TWO FULL TIME CASE MANAGERS, 2 FULL TIME NAVIGATORS AND TWO SUPPORT STAFF THAT INCLUDES A HOUSING CASE MANAGER WHO COORDINATES VOUCHERS AND HELPS WITH MOVES TO TRANSITIONAL HOUSING. WE ENDED THE YEAR WITH 34 BEDS OF TRANSITIONAL CLIENT HOUSING. SPECIALIZED HOUSE DESIGNATIONS PROVIDE A SAFE PLACE FOR CLIENTS WHO IDENTIFY AS LGBTQ+, PARENTS WITH CHILDREN, AND THOSE WHO REPORT HAVING BEEN TRAFFICKED. MYHOUSE'S LEGACY FOR-PROFIT BUSINESSES, GATHERING GROUNDS CAFE AND STEAMDRIVEN BOUTIQUE PROVIDED JOB TRAINING TO 39 CLIENTS. 20 CLIENTS COMPLETED THE PROGRAM WITH 75% OF THEM EMPLOYED THREE MONTHS LATER. 10 CLIENTS RECEIVED THEIR GED OR HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA. 32% OF CLIENTS COMING IN THE DOOR HAVE NO HIGH SCHOOL COMPLETION OR GED. SINCE COVID THIS NUMBER HAS INCREASED ANNUALLY. OUR SUICIDE PREVENTION COORDINATOR CREATED AND BEGAN PRESENTING OUR NEW CURRICULUM, REVISION. IT EMPHASIZES CONNECTION AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT TO ENCOURAGE HOPE. 47% OF CLIENTS IN 2022 SELF-REPORTED SUFFERING FROM DEPRESSIONN, SUICIDAL THOUGHTS, IDEATIONS AND OR HAD ATTEMPTED TAKING THEIR OWN LIVES, SO THIS PROGRAM WAS VITAL AND TIMELY. IN 2022 1 CLIENT DIED FROM SUICIDE, 1 ACTIVE CLIENT AND 1 FORMER CLIENT DIED FROM OVERDOSE. THE MAT-SU OPIOID TASK FORCE, ESTABLISHED BY MYHOUSE IN 2016, WROTE KELLSIE'S LAW, WHICH IF PASSED WOULD MANDATE EDUCATION FOR YOUTH ON THE IMPACT OF DRUGS AND ADDICTION. NARCAN KITS, WHICH PREVENT OPIATE OVERDOSES AND DEATH, ARE DISTRIBUTED BY MYHOUSE AND ONE OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS IS CERTIFIED TO PROVIDE TRAINING IN THEIR USE. OUR STAFFF DISTRIBUTED 395 KITS IN 2022. THE ALLIANCE TO STOP HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN ALASKA (ASHTA) WHICH IS BASED AT MYHOUSE, CONDUCTED 56 AWARENESS & TRAINING PRESENTATIONS ACROSS ALASKA, AND THE ASHTA COORDINATOR WAS APPOINTED TO THE GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL ON HUMAN AND SEX TRAFFICKING. CREATED THE MYHOUSE PODCAST NETWORK WITH FIVE PODCASTS: MY VOICE WHERE CLIENTS TELL THEIR STORIES. DIAGNONSENSE WHICH FOCUSES ON MENTAL HEALTH & SUICIDE PREVENTION. THE MYHOUSE PODCAST WHERE OUR CEO HOSTS COMMUNITY MEMBERS, PARTNERS AND DONORS TO DISCUSS OUR WORK WITH HOMELESSNESS, RECOVERY & SOLUTIONS. REDEMPTION WHICH FOCUSES ON PREVENTING HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND ASSISTING SURVIVORS IN RECOVERY. MYHOUSE MONTHLY UPDATE WHICH HIGHLIGHTS EVENTS AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES FOR CLIENTS AND SUPPORTERS. LAUNCHED REDEMPTION, A NEW JOB TRAINING PROGRAM THAT SERVES SURVIVORS OF TRAFFICKING BY PROVIDING A SAFE SPACE TO LEARN DESIGN, MANUFACTURING, MERCHANDISING, AND RETAIL SALES SKILLS. LUXURY LOUNGEWEAR IS CREATED BY REPURPOSING LINENS DONATED BY HIGH-END ALASKA HOTELS. CLIENT ASSISTED DESIGNS WERE FEATURED IN A LOCAL FASHION SHOW WHERE THE REDEMPTION BRAND WAS DEBUTED. AT YEAR END, ON 12/31/2022, WE HAD 444 CURRENTLY ACTIVE CLIENTS AND HAD SERVED A TOTAL OF 792 CLIENTS SINCE INCEPTION. ALL OF THIS POSSIBLE BECAUSE MYHOUSE PROVIDES SERVICES TO, AND ADVOCATES FOR, YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND YOUTH AT-RISK OF BECOMING HOMELESS, SO THEY CAN BECOME SELF-SUFFICIENT AND CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS OF THEIR COMMUNITY.