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Youth
Program Contacts
Eric Politzer
Director of Youth Programs
The Ark of Refuge
1025 Howard Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
phone: 415.861.6566
fax: 415.861.6103
email:
arkofrefuge@hotmail.com
Allan Silva, Program
Director
415.861.6555
email: allan_youthmap@sbcglobal.net
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YouthMAP Youth Space Young
Adult Homeless Programs
Young Adult Homeless
Programs
The
Ark of Refuge is administering the first-ever transitional living
facility specificaly targeting LGBTQQ young adults in San Francisco.
This15-person residence, the Ark House, is located at 2500 Market
Street and allows clients to stay for a period 3 to 6 months.
The goal of the Ark House it to assist homeless LGBTQQ young adults
with stabilizing their lives and
establishing greater health and indepdendence through a clean, safe
and supportive congregate living environment, on-site counseling,
and referrals to a network of supportive services. The Ark House will
benefit specifically from its strong partnership with the Dimensions
Health Clinic, which is
composed of New Leaf Services
for Our Community, LYRIC (Lavender
Youth Recreation and Information Services), and the Castro
Mission Health Center.
In 1998, the Ark responed to a request from the Mayor's office on
Homelessness and implemented the first-ever shelter specifically targeting
young adults in San Francisco. This program ran for three months and
served 160 unduplicated clients between the ages of 18 and 25.
In 1999, the Ark responded to a request from members of the SF Board
of Supervisors to create the first ever young adult shelter targeting
LBGTQQ clients in the 18 to 23 age range. This program ran 2-1/2 months
and served 157 unduplicated clients.
In 1998 and 1999 shelters led the City to set aside funds to establish
permanent shelters for young adults. In 2000, the Ark responded to
a request from the Metropolitan Commnity Church, Golden Gate, to administer
another winter emergency shelter for LBGTQQ young adults. This program
wascontracted for 3 months and supported 10 clients each night.
The
Ark shelters - and now the Ark House - have been very successful in
addressing the special needs of this highly challenged population;
building trust with this clientele for service providers in general
, and assisting their clients in the efforts to access meaninful supportive
services to
enable them to exit homelessness. In addition, the Ark has been very
active with City departments, elected officials, community organizations
and private philanthropy in advocating for and developing policy around
young adult homeless populations.
Program
Sponsored By
San
Francisco Department of Public Health
The
Ark of Refuge, Inc. April 2002 ©
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