Need Assistance? 512 553 3796
"To know, love and serve"
A community-based organization guiding young adults with practical, effective and common-sense help to end their homelessness.
284 New young adults served last year
507 Community reuse volunteers
985 Donations and counting
Young adults face danger on the streets, but they report it’s somehow better than from where they came. One in ten persons experience homelessness between 18 and 25 in the US every year.
Suggested solutions don’t feel safe, are overcrowded, and are overwhelming to someone young.
Case managers are needed to make sense of it all, and case manager in short supply.
It can be very hard to make new connections, find community, and reconnect with hope!
A day center with resources just for homeless young adults aged 28 and under open Mon-Fri 11-4
Community-donated supplies and food
Small daily support groups led by a trained team with lived experiences that can relate
Community supported work that is not funded by start/stop government grants
Supplies and guidance so you make your own progress!
Age 28 and younger, homeless, at risk of homelessness, or in a program to stop homelessness
Supported by hundreds of private individuals, businesses and churches. We don't take most government funding because our clients deserve consistency. Make a difference in a practical and common-sense way!
Outreach visits in safe well-known locations
Sunshine Store in North Central Austin:
Food,
clothing,
supplies
Learning Center (same location)
Computer Learning Lab
Small Support Groups
Reach out by phone, text, and messaging.
Convenient food, clothing, and toiletries drop-offs in North Central Austin M-F 11:30-3:30
Scheduled drop-offs on Saturday morning, too!
Descriptive receipts provided by email shortly after end of month
It's green and used locally!
Involve the whole family!
Secure checks processing
Fast online options compatible with most browsers and smartphone wallets
Designate how your money ius spent for food, clothing, and other line items
Tax-deductible receipts emailed within a week
Do something positive even in these crazy times! We're practical, grass-roots and common sense!
Outreach
Call or text or reach out by web 512 553 3796
Visit at 11:30 or 3pm M-F
#2 We'll help make you feel welcome and understand our resources.
#3 You decide your goals and how often to engage.
No appointment needed for M-F 11:30-3:30 -- address abnd hours on the drop-off form
Reach out by phone or text if you prefer 512 553 3796
#2 We'll greet you and offer to show you around. You'll leave with a list of needed items.
#3 You decide how often to collect items, drop sandwiches off or engage in other needs.
By Mail to secure mail SYMin, 7421 Burnet Rd #264, Austin TX 78757
From Venmo App: @SYMin
From Paypal App: @StreetYouthMinsitry
#2 We'll send a receipt, as well as offer you ways to connect of your choosing.
#3 You decide how often to give and whether you want to support special projects, introduce us to friends over dinner, and invite us to speak at small groups and meetings.
Dan: Could you tell the people that put the food bag together thank you for me. It looks like fantastic stuff. I'm going to be able to cook actual food in a few days!!!
AW: The way my life has changed in such little time because I'm doing better for myself. A year ago, I thought I had no one and that nobody would ever care about me. Today I have such awesome friends who support me on my path to sobriety and healing.
Diana: I made this in art group at Street Youth Ministry. I had a good time, I tried to paint the rock formation on ship rock.
Heather: I just had an amazing weekend with my parents and brother, and I was reminded of something from when I first started going to SYM. You had us write down something we hoped for that could only be from the Lord. Mine was restoration of the relationships with my family. God did it. The seeds you planted have produced fruit and I wanted to thank you
KJ: What attracted me is the age limit. I'm tired of being surrounded by older homeless people.
Ages
Hours
Food
Clothing
Financial Support
Support Groups
Style
Pro Counseling
16-28 only
M-F 11:30-4
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
M-F, 6 types
Light Case Management
No
We take new people very day that we are open, and there is no limit, per se. We ask a minimum number of questions initially. Everyone must behave safely and stick with our schedule. Trust is a huge thing for us, so we expect people to be able to tell their truth when ready.
We don't use formal case management. This gets rid of the line and the need to track down one specific person. We know your time is valuable. Our team can work with people upon each arrival without appointments to try to advance your goal. You don't need to work with the same person each time.
We want for you more stability, more sobriety, reconnection with God, and finding a faith home, but you choose your goals--not us! Most people seek clothing, food, and supplies initially. Then they prioritize a goal or two, like an ID or a job. We don't do it for you, but we can fill in missing know-how to empower and encourage you. Often you may have a challenge or two you're dealing with, and one or more of our support groups led by our trained and seasoned team will likely help. One step leads to another, and before you know it you're saving money, moving into housing, getting transportation and doing great! We are faith-based, all are welcome, and nobody has to change or become anything religious. Bible study, group prayer time, and individual prayer requests are available, but always a choice.
We don't charge clients. Our work is supported by community volunteers and donors. Many clients donate eventually, too! We're fully private and not government supported. Many of our resources are donated (which gives us a big variety). We view them as shared resource, so you should be prepared to take only as much as you can use immediately. Some items are limited like backpacks, sleeping bags, shoes. Some items can only be obtained by earning "points" in our SYMinU learning system. Come to a Computer Lab group to get started.
We learn from our clients. Getting jobs isn't normally a challenge but keeping them turns out to be the challenge. SYMinU is our solution to making sure you have the chance to learn soft skills and workpalce expectations. There are hundreds of courses to take. Each earns you points accoridng to how long they typically take. An hours of points gets you $10 of merchandise from our SYMinU store. These are items we don't have enough of to offer for free or are ways to get extra of limited items. Popular items include phone chargers, phone cords, pre-paid phones, headphones, and more. Items cost what they really cost in the real world, except you pay with SYMinU points.
You can get a launry pass from us good for one load of laundry at the laundromat across the street from us. There is a limit of one load per week. We also do lots of laundry left behind by clients (after a shower or just lightning their load of dirty clothes), but we cannot be certain you get your own clothing back. Clean and usable clothing goes back into our Sunshine Store.
There are many other ways to help. Our home page covers the more popular, but explore ways to connect that are most appropriate for you!