Kaleidoscope Youth Center (KYC) is excited to announce that we are now directly serving and supporting homeless and housing insecure LGBTQIA+ youth and young adults with the introduction of three new housing programs! Since 1994, KYC has worked in partnership with young people in Central Ohio to provide safe and affirming spaces for LGBTQIA+ young people in our drop-in center, in the schools, and in the community. Over the last year, KYC, in partnership with other local organizations, has worked to prevent and end youth homelessness through coordinated community planning.

KYC is expanding our space to include a carriage house that is directly behind our drop-in center which will accommodate our new Supportive Co-Housing Program. This program will provide supportive intentional community living to meet the needs of homeless, housing insecure, and housing vulnerable LGBTQIA+ young people ages 18-24 with the goal of moving young adults into safe, stable, independent, and permanent housing. This project is innovative and the first of its kind in Central Ohio, and is our community approach to serve as a safety net for the most vulnerable young people in our city.

This spring KYC will be implementing a Rapid Re-Housing Program to help LGBTQIA+ individuals and families prevent or quickly exit homelessness and access stable, permanent housing. Rapid re-housing assistance is offered without preconditions (such as employment, income, absence of criminal record, or sobriety) and the resources and services provided are typically tailored to the unique needs of the household. In this program KYC will provide support by means of housing identification, rent and move-in assistance, and case management services.

Additionally, KYC is developing a volunteer-based Host Home Network which will match young adults with emergency housing needs to volunteers from the community who will provide shelter, support, and mentorship, at no cost to the young person. The goals are to keep LGBTQIA+ young people off of the streets and to provide safe and immediate housing in a crisis. KYC will recruit, screen, train and support community volunteers who will then provide short-term, supportive housing for youth who are homeless or unsafely housed. Young people will be provided with a stable home environment and support services while they navigate the process of finding and securing their own permanent housing or potentially reuniting with family.

If you would like more information about Kaleidoscope Youth Center or our housing programming, please call (614) 294-5437 or email Heather@kycohio.org