Taking it to the Streets

Pathfinders' annual event, Taking it to the Streets on April 23, 2015 at the Grain Exchange, provides critical funding for our Runaway & Homeless Youth Services. The event also raises community awareness regarding the issues of homelessness in Milwaukee, specifically youth homelessness. The evening will include dinner, silent and voice auctions, raffles, and entertainment. Pathfinders is again partnering with AuctionsByCellular for silent and voice auction bidding through cell phone messaging. In 2014, on any given night in Milwaukee, over 600 youth do not have a safe place to stay. The primary goal of our homeless youth programming is to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse of runaway, homeless, street-dependent and transient youth by providing targeted street-based outreach and education services. Homeless youth services are provided through our 24 hour/365 day emergency youth shelter which houses and/or supports more than 400 youth annually; street outreach (Street Beat) programming which helps homeless youth about 4,000 times each year; supported housing for LGBT homeless young adults (Q-BLOK); and our Drop-In Center for homeless and exploited youth which provides basic needs, life skills and enrichment, tutoring, employment assistance, and case management to more than 500 youth annually. Pathfinders' mission is to empower youth in crisis to make positive life choices. Our programs represent some of the most comprehensive youth services available in Wisconsin, designed to protect youth and young adults, strengthen individuals and families, and improve the emotional and mental health of young people at risk in our community. The family-centered, strengths-based programs provide a continuum of services for youth, offered at little or no cost; the vast majority of Pathfinders' clients are low-income.