Today on Giving Tuesday, we’re asking our community to stand with Baltimore’s young people experiencing homelessness. At the Youth Empowered Society (YES), every donation—no matter the size—directly strengthens the safety, stability, and support our youth deserve.

Across Baltimore, young people ages 14–25 turn to YES for basic needs, connection, and a path forward. We are the only youth-specific drop-in center in the city, and this year alone, 124 youth have already come through our doors seeking safety, food, housing support, and a community fueled by love.

What Your Gift Makes Possible

Your donation directly supports YES’s three core goals outlined in our 2024–2027 Strategic Plan:

1. Safety & Basic Needs – Young people get hot meals, hygiene supplies, clothing, baby items, showers, and a safe place to rest.
2. Supportive Services – Youth receive trauma-informed case management, help securing IDs, mental health and healthcare referrals, employment support, and transportation assistance.
3.  Housing Support – We walk young people step-by-step through obtaining and keeping stable housing, partnered with community agencies.

Why This Matters

Youth experiencing homelessness consistently face barriers far beyond housing—trauma, family conflict, violence, and systemic inequities. YES exists to remove those barriers with dignity and care. Already:

• 63 youth have engaged in trauma-informed supportive services since reopening.
• 20 young people have secured stable housing this year.
• We provide programming, leadership development, and community-building that help youth feel supported, loved, and seen.
• We are on track to serve 160 youth annually with your help.

Where Your Giving Tuesday Donation Goes

Every dollar fuels real impact:

• $25 – Hygiene kits and essential personal care
• $50 – A week of meals and snacks for youth in the drop-in
• $100 – Transportation and documentation support (IDs, birth certificates, job onboarding)
• $250 – One month of case management and housing navigation
• $500+ – Supports staffing, training, and expansion needed to serve 160+ youth each year

Why Support YES Right Now?

We are rebuilding stronger after pandemic-era losses, reopening and expanding services, and strengthening operations and trauma-informed practices across the organization. Your gift helps us continue staffing up, increasing program hours, and ensuring the youth we serve experience safety, stability, belonging, and love—the pillars of our mission.

Join Us This Giving Tuesday

Your generosity fuels our work every single day.

Your support tells young people:

“You matter. You’re not alone. We’re in this together.”

👉 Donate today at yesdropincenter.org/donate

Thank you for standing with YES and with Baltimore’s youth.

Together, we can build a city where all young people have the support they need to thrive.