Roger Quirantes, Transitional Living Specialist for Touchstone Village Clay, with one of their residents.
Shelter from the Storm: How Moosehaven and YCC Help Clay County’s Unaccompanied Homeless Youth By Nick Van Der Linden Director of Communications, LeadingAge Florida
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t only the age of 17, Savannah traveled across the United States looking for a better and more stable future. Savannah lived without stable housing in California, so she connected with her father in Florida who promised her a place to stay and a better life. She left with only the clothes on her back and came to Florida to meet up with her dad. But none of what he had told her was true. Her father didn’t have his own place and was addicted to drugs, leaving her once again on her own to pick up the pieces. Savannah struggled mentally and emotionally, looking for safety, security, and guidance. This is the unfortunate reality for far too many youth with unstable housing in Clay County and across the United States. These are young people who are not in the physi-
cal custody of a parent or guardian and do not have stable or secure housing. According to the Clay County School Board, during the 2017-2018 school year, 118 unaccompanied homeless youth were enrolled. According to the non-profit organization, SchoolHouse Connection, 4.2 million youth and young adults experience homelessness each year. John Capes, Executive Director of Moosehaven Retirement Community at the time this story was written, was approached by the Clay County Police Chief. The Chief told Capes that Orange Park Town Council members were concerned about this situation and tried to find a solution for the unaccompanied homeless youth in their county. They specifically wanted to identify students who were temporarily displaced and give them a place to live, sleep and eat, ultimately to re-
move as many hurdles as possible to help with their high school education. Capes attended a committee meeting and offered up Moosehaven’s services in support. Moosehaven was eager to take on the challenge. The active retirement community—located on the banks of the St John’s River that houses senior residents typically above the age of 65—now had new residents, 18-yearolds without a place to call home. Moosehaven provided rooms, food, relationships with the elderly, and even jobs for the teenagers as part of the initiative. For Capes, it became part of the Moose’s mission and the first step toward a bigger picture. “Think about your high school experience,” Capes said. “Think about whether it was about fun or whether it was about a safe and warm place to stay for six hours of the
SENIOR LIVING •
S U M M E R/F A L L 2020
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