Covenant House Vancouver exists to support and care for youth aged 16-24 who are either at-risk or are experiencing homelessness. Many of the youth who access Covenant House have been abused, suffered trauma, and experienced neglect. When they arrive at our doors, they are both physically and emotionally homeless; many haven’t had any stable, positive relationships or influences in their lives. At Covenant House, they are greeted without judgment – with unconditional love and with absolute respect – often for the first time. Our priority is to meet their immediate needs with food, shelter, clothing and more. Once their immediate needs are met, we can focus on longer term goals such as mental wellness, education, and employment, all while the youth is in a safe and caring community. We know that if we work proactively with young people experiencing homelessness and reach them before they become street-entrenched, they will have a much better chance of successfully finding and maintaining stable housing. With the help of the skills they learn at Covenant House, youth can become the healthy and vibrant members of our community that they have the potential to be.