For youth

Homeless youth resources (under 25)

Resources for young people experiencing homelessness — shelters, drop-in centers, and crisis lines that won't tell your parents.

Roughly 4.2 million young people in the US and 35,000+ in Canada experience some form of homelessness each year. The single largest cause is family rejection or conflict. LGBTQ+ youth are dramatically overrepresented — they make up about 7% of the under-25 population and roughly 40% of homeless youth. The resources below are youth-specific and most are LGBTQ+ affirming.

Crisis lines and quick contacts

National Runaway Safeline (US)

1-800-786-2929

Free, 24/7, confidential. They won't call your parents without your permission.

Kids Help Phone (Canada)

1-800-668-6868

Free, 24/7, bilingual. Text CONNECT to 686868.

Trevor Project (LGBTQ+ under 25)

US & CA

1-866-488-7386

Free, 24/7. Crisis support for LGBTQ+ young people.

Covenant House NINELINE

US & CA

1-800-999-9999

Crisis line for runaway and homeless youth. 24/7.

Find youth-specific resources near you

Showing 28 resources that specifically serve youth. Type your city or share your location to rank them by distance.

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Top cities for youth resources

National & regional charities

Effective organizations for donating, volunteering, or finding help. We don't take a cut — every link goes directly to the charity.

Covenant House

Largest youth-serving homelessness charity in North America. Shelters in 30+ cities.

Visit covenanthouse.org ↗

Ali Forney Center (NYC)

Largest LGBTQ+ youth-serving agency in the US.

Visit aliforneycenter.org ↗

Larkin Street Youth Services (SF)

Drop-in, shelter, and transitional housing for ages 12–24.

Visit larkinstreetyouth.org ↗

Eva's Place (Toronto)

Three youth shelters and transitional housing in Toronto.

Visit evas.ca ↗

What to know

• If you're under 18 and have run away, most shelters will accept you without calling the police or your parents — laws vary by state but most have a 72-hour window before reporting is required.
• Drop-in centers (no overnight stay needed) are a good first stop. They often have showers, laundry, food, and case managers who know the local system.
• If you've aged out of foster care, the Family Unification Program (FUP) and Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) vouchers can get you housing. Your state foster-care agency is the starting point.
• Many youth shelters are LGBTQ+ affirming by default. If a particular shelter doesn't feel safe, ask the staff for a referral to one that does.