Youth Objective

The United States youth is facing a challenging time in history due to the uncertainty caused by an evolving landscape. From rural to metropolitan and suburban areas, communities are making adjustments to accommodate new technologies being implemented into society. The potentially increasing disparity in wealth has led to estimates showing over 8-million children in the United States at or below the poverty level, with up to an additional 700,000 unaccompanied minors experiencing homelessness in a given year. These children lack the basic and essential resources needed on a daily basis.  Residential treatment centers, including Foster Care Centers, Group Homes, and Youth Homeless Shelters can provide temporary to permanent housing solutions for children with the highest risks. This is the first step to recovery for adolescents facing extreme hardships, but moving forward is often a tumultuous journey. A difficult early childhood can leave children with long-term social, physical and mental health issues. Potentially on average compared to United States children, California’s youth are experiencing a percentage more health complications.

Children under the age of 17 make up about 20% of California’s total population.  Nearly 1-million children have a provider-diagnosed mental health condition, but this does not  include undiagnosed children with anxiety or ADHD, to depression and behavioral  problems.  Live-in services from residential treatment centers provide  residents  resources and access to mental health care to those in need on their journey. Although the facilities may have the essentials , California Youth Charities assists providing  items that will improve these children's quality of living. The donations that are not sent directly to a treatment center is  introduced to the second-hand market and contributions are deployed to wards additional programs and services.