Youth Empowered Society (YES) is an organization that prevents and eliminates youth homelessness through the synergy of youth/peer and ally partnerships. The organization’s vision is that all of Baltimore’s youth will easily access supportive services and stable housing to become powerful in their own lives. 

YES grew out of the work of the Baltimore Homeless Youth Initiative (BHYI) Youth Leaders, a group of youth with personal experience of homelessness, and youth allies, that formed as an arm of the BHYI Coalition in 2009. In particular, BHYI Youth Leaders identified the need for a comprehensive drop-in center for youth, and this vision was realized when YES opened its center doors in October 2012.

For almost a decade, YES offered in-house case management on a daily basis that focused on connecting to employment and housing and also included assistance obtaining identification, enrolling in school, navigating financial aid, accessing public benefits, advocacy in legal proceedings, accessing childcare, and more. Peer and allied case managers would assist youth to create action plans, set self-determined goals, and work towards stability. Other areas of programmatic focus/expertise that arose in response to youth needs included workforce development, mental health support, rapid rehousing, pregnancy and parenting support, legal advocacy, and harm reduction. We built strong partnerships, successfully advocated for policy change, and most importantly, supported hundreds of youth in getting closer to their personal definition of success.

After scaling back programming (specifically, closure of our physical space) from fall 2021 to the end of 2022, we began our journey towards regrowth in 2023. We embarked on a strategic planning process in partnership with youth, staff, board members, community organizations, and other YES advocates, and assessed how to best meet current needs of youth while delivering on our mission and values.

By late 2023 we began accepting a limited number of new youth for housing-focused case management and affiliated supports. Simultaneously, we were strengthening our infrastructure, growing our staff team, board, and community connections, and preparing for our full relaunch. With much excitement, we moved into a new space in late 2024.

As we reopen our drop-in center for youth, we will be eager to engage partners, neighbors, and volunteers more deeply in our mission! Please check back periodically for more information or join our newsletter distribution list on the Get Involved page.