Each November, at Huckleberry House, HOPE stands for Homeless, Outreach, Prevention, and Education. A partnership with the National Runaway Safeline, the Administration for Children and Families, and other national, state, and local organizations, Youth HOPE Month raises awareness about youth homelessness and highlights resources for support.

There are so many ways YOU can participate in Youth HOPE Month!

1) INVITE US FOR A LUNCH AND LEARN | Huckleberry House to your office or community for a “lunch and learn” or presentation, to learn about youth homelessness and the programs of support provided by Huckleberry House. Please reach out to Emily at earmbrecht@huck-house.org to schedule.

2) ENGAGE YOUR COMMUNITY IN YOUTH HOPE MONTH

• Wear green | Green is the color of Youth Hope Month, so why not identify a wear green day in your office or community group, snap a photo, and share it on socials, tagging us (@HuckHouse) and using #youthHOPEmonth.
• Green lights | Light your office, your front door, or exterior lighting green, showing your support of youth experiencing homelessness. And when your neighbor asks why your lights are green, share some information, and hand them a green light they can use, too.

3) ORGANIZE A FOOD DRIVE | Support our young people by donating or organizing a food drive for non-perishable items during Youth HOPE Month and beyond. Here is the list of high-demand items:

• Food | Rice, Canned Tuna, Canned Chicken, Corned Beef, Noodles, Pasta, Soup, Broths, Spaghetti Sauce/paste/canned tomatoes, Manwich, Chef boy Ardee, Macaroni & Cheese, Oatmeal, Canned Vegetables, Cooking Oil, Spices, Condiments, Flour, Coffee, Hot Chocolate, Cereal, Dry Milk, Salmon/Mackerel, Bottled water, Jelly, Peanut Butter, Hamburger Helper etc.
• Snacks (individual/variety packs) | Fruit Cups/snacks, Jello, Pudding, Cookies, Crackers, Cheez itz, Dried fruits/nuts, Chips or variety packs, Pretzels, Popcorn

4) COMING SOON! Explore Huckleberry House’s **NEW** Teacher | Resources, created for middle and high school classrooms and linking to social studies, social-emotional health and well-being, and community curricular areas. From understanding the history of youth homelessness in the United States to exploring the five social Determinants of Health and how they affect young people, these resources introduce students to the realities of youth homelessness through discussion, data, and activities that encourage understanding, problem-solving, and community connection. Click here to access this free resource packet.

Every young person in our community deserves a safe place to sleep, learn, and grow.

• TOGETHER, as a community, we can reinforce this hope with our support.
• TOGETHER, every hygiene bag, donated item, or cash contribution, educational session, green light, or green shirt serves as a sign of support and hope for the youth we serve.
• TOGETHER, we can provide HOPE for the youth in our community!

Download this year’s Youth HOPE Month Flyer (pictured below) here!