In partnership with Sarasota County Health and Human Services, Harvest House recently added four transitional housing beds for young men ages 18-24 who are experiencing homelessness, matching the four beds already in place for young women.

According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, 70 percent of people experiencing homelessness are men and unaccompanied male youth. Before now, Sarasota County only had beds for male young adults available at shelters mixed in with the older chronic homeless population. In 2017, Harvest House opened New Heights, a transitional living program providing young adults who are ready to return to school or build a career with a stable place to live for up to 24 months. While operating New Heights, Harvest House staff identified the need for young adults to access short-term transitional beds as a precursor to this long-term solution. Short-term transitional housing offers young adults a place to stay for up to 90 days while they work closely with a case manager to identify their specific barriers to stability and implement a plan.