Chamber Insider Blog

Supporting Homeless & at risk Youth in Loudoun

 

Leading up to the Chambers First Superhero 5k Run/Walk, we will be spotlighting our beneficiary* and the facts about children in Loudoun County throughout the next few months.

The Mobile Hope program is designed to support the needs of precariously housed, homeless and at risk youth living in Loudoun County. As one of the richest counties in the country, it is easy to assume that Loudoun’s youth all have permanent homes and stable lives. Yet recently, the 2013-2014 School year ended with over 1100 young students being identified as homeless or precariously housed by the McKinney-Vento program in Loudoun County Public Schools. Many of these young people do not have a legal guardian or parent in their lives. They sleep in a variety of places, to include: in cars, in the woods, doubled up with other families, “couch surfing” among their friends, or sleeping in shelters. More frightening, there are likely more precariously housed and at risk youth living in Loudoun County who have not yet been identified. After the staff of Mobile Hope Loudoun became aware of this harsh reality, they built partnerships with Loudoun County Public Schools, the faith community, police and other first responders, government officials, healthcare providers,  community leaders, and stakeholders to create ways for this fragile population to have access to daily essentials including:

  • Food
  • Clothes
  • Hygiene Products
  • School Supplies
  • Medical Care
  • Books and Toys
  • And Much More

Mobile Hope is committed to being successful in partnering with others to meet the growing demands of our precariously housed and at risk children living in our community. While our mission has been focused on youth 18 and under, we have recently changed that mission to include youth up to the age of 21. This necessary change was needed as we began to help more and more children who were aging out of our youth shelters on (literally) their 18th birthday.

To qualify for the services Mobile Hope provides, it’s easy, but you must:

  • Be 21 years of age or younger
  • Live in Loudoun County (and show proof of Loudoun County residency)

Sunday, April 19, 2015 beginning at 8am for our Superhero 5k Run/Walk and Villian Chase (Kids FUN RUN). Part of the Chamber’s “Healthy Business Series,” the SuperHero 5k Run/Walk and Kids FUN RUN offers your company a great way to show Loudoun County its commitment to healthy living for your employees and our community.  To sign up for the Superhero 5k, click here!


Information from the Mobile Hope website. For more information about Mobile Hope, click here.

* Proceeds from the Superhero 5k will be donated to Mobile Hope.