Help 100 Youth Exit Homelessness in Washington DC

Since March, 2020, Latin American Youth Center staff have been determined to continue providing services to all of our participants, including our unstably housed clients, despite unforeseen hurdles like decreased opportunities to reach them and connect them to the city's services and resources.

Additionally, we have been faced with the specific challenge to curate and establish safety measures to keep clients and staff safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Our staff have observed first-hand the disadvantage among communities of color in terms of understanding how to access the vaccine, in addition to widespread apprehension about taking the vaccine within these communities. During the pandemic, LAYC’s Health Promotions and Community Wellness teams have been instrumental in educating youth, families, and our staff about the virus and vaccine.

This effort includes the following strategies: 

• Health Promotions team completing Johns Hopkins' COVID-19 training.
• Surveying youth and families to assess understanding of the virus and vaccine and to identify community needs.
• Holding youth focus groups to understand pandemic impact on mental health in the Latinx community (with UnidosUS) and youth focus groups with Habesha and Latinx families to understand feelings around the vaccine and identify effective approaches to vaccine education (with George Washington University).
• Holding an interactive, internal town hall meeting about the vaccine with guest speakers from the medical field.
• Providing vaccine information from experts and weekly vaccine updates to staff, including vaccination locations.
• Disseminating vaccine resources and links to LAYC clients via social media and providing COVID-19 screening to youth.
• Sharing LAYC staff vaccination experiences with the community.

These efforts would not be possible without our local community partners and your support. 

Thank you for your commitment to the safety and well-being of our youth!

Lupi Quinteros-Grady
LAYC President and CEO