Friends of Youth participates in ‘Count Us In’ event with United Way

Published 2:17 pm Friday, May 18, 2012

On May 16, Friends of Youth (FOY) in Redmond, along with other human service providers in King County, coordinated with United Way of King County to host a youth point in time count, known as “Count Us In.”

The event took place at meal sites across the county, offering free food and limited assistance to young people without a safe and permanent home. This year’s Count Us In effort expanded to involve agencies serving youth in south Seattle as well.

The goal of this annual effort is to gain a clearer understanding of the number of young people without a stable place to live on any given night in King County. By enhancing King County’s knowledge of this issue, agencies can further their efforts to create a community in which no youth is left without a place to call home.

This year, 1,104 young people participated in Count Us In.

FOY is the primary provider of services to homeless youth in east King County. The information gathered through Count Us In is critical to their ability to understand and respond to the needs of homeless youth. The organization’s meal site this year was at Lake Washington United Methodist Church in Kirkland, who partnered with them to host the event.

FOY delivers a range of therapeutic services for youth, young adults and families. With 60 years of experience, national accreditation and 21 program sites, the agency provides safe places to live and emotional support for youth and families in challenging circumstances. For more information, visit www.friendsofyouth.org.