StandUp For Kids

StandUp for Kids is dedicated to improving the lives of homeless and at-risk youth and young adults. The mission of StandUp for Kids is to end the cycle of youth homelessness throughout the United States. This mission is carried out every day in cities across America through our national volunteer/staff force, whose on-the-streets outreach efforts find, stabilize and help homeless and street kids improve their lives by providing and connecting them with life-saving services. The organization's mission is furthered through deterrence and resource programs provided in schools and via the internet. All facets of this mission are guided by the mandate that our volunteers tell kids they care about them and then, at every turn, prove it.  

Our ongoing mission is to end the cycle of youth homelessness. We serve unaccompanied homeless and at-risk youth – and young parents with children of their own – up to their 25th birthday. To do this, we have built four core programs: ​Street & Community Outreach​, Food Access​, ​Mentoring​, and ​Housing Support​.  Our service model follows national guidelines set by the US Interagency Council on Homelessness in providing stable housing, permanent connections, education and employment, and social and emotional well-being to the youth we serve. Our overall goal is to prepare youth to engage constructively in their communities and develop self-assurance by addressing both their basic needs and the four core elements of positive youth development: a sense of competence, a sense of usefulness, a sense of belonging, and a sense of power.  The objectives that allow us to meet this goal are to (a) provide intensive case management with a positive role model and mentor, (b) provide support in meeting basic needs of food, clothing and shelter; (c) meet medical and mental health needs, (d) provide supportive services as needed including group counseling, employment coaching, and life skills training; and (e) provide transitional support once the youth enter a permanent housing situation  

In 2024, our team logged over 11,800 incidences of support, provided over 2,200 nights of shelter, supplied nearly 4,000 meals and served 1784 un-duplicated youth.

In 2025, we plan to grow our impact with both the at-risk population (12-18 year olds through school systems) and the crisis population (18-24 year olds through community outreach) by providing 12,000 instances of support and serving more than 1,800 unduplicated youth. We want to increase our reach, and the number of youth served while maintaining a high rate of success.

StandUp For Kids greatest needs are continued financial support so that we can provide life changing programs and services. It costs on average $2,000 per year to support one youth aged 12-18 and $3,000 per year to support one TAY (transitional-aged youth) client. These costs are for housing, food, clothing, supplies, and the manpower to provide these things and to manage our large volunteer base to be the one-on-one support for our youth. Additionally, we need human capital. We are always looking for volunteers to join our leadership team, mentor youth, assist with events. 

StandUp for Kids has more than 18 programs throughout the United States. Please visit our website for a program near you or to start a program in your city.  Our Orange County Chapter serves all cities in Orange County.  

We live in a society where violence and abuse are increasingly common within families and communities. The hopelessness that kids express about their lives and futures reflects a lack of self-esteem and confidence in their own ability to cope and/or succeed. Imagine how overwhelming this would seem for youth that have no one in whom they can confide. StandUp for Kids is a special organization that has seized the opportunity to help homeless and at-risk children by establishing and launching programs and resources.