YouthLink helps young people, ages 16-24, experiencing homelessness in the Twin Cities, MN metro. This year, YouthLink will provide over 1,600 homeless youth with services ranging from food, clothing, and showers to stable housing, mental health services, and education and career pathways.
YouthLink operates a daytime drop-in center in downtown Minneapolis for young people experiencing homelessness. Youth can get basic needs like a hot lunch, shower, laundry facilities, respite, clothing, personal care items, health care, mental health services, computer access, phone charging, and more.
YouthLink supports two supportive housing complexes in Minneapolis (88 combined units) and dozens of scatter-site housing units across the metro. We realize that a young person's journey does not end with housing and provide case management and other resources to help youth retain their housing.
YouthLink collaborates with values-aligned community partners to provide resources to young people – all in one location to break down time and transportation barriers. This one-stop-shop model helps deliver life-changing resources more effectively for the young people we work with.
YouthLink has been serving the community for more than 45 years. Established in 1974 as the Minnesota Youth Diversion Program, YouthLink became incorporated as a nonprofit in 1978.