ENDING YOUTH HOMELESSNESS
Since 2012, Urban Street Angels has helped homeless youth to develop the essential life and job skills they need in order to leave the streets for good.
Our CHALLENGE
50% of California’s unhoused population had their first experience with homelessness between the ages of 18 and 25. Known as opportunity youth, this critical demographic has the potential to leave the streets behind for good when provided with the support needed to make a change in their lives. Today, in San Diego alone, there are over 1,500 young people struggling to break the cycle of homelessness.
Hungry, cold, shelterless, and unsure, how would you persevere? Using supportive resources and essential job and skills training, we know our youth can.
Urban Street Angels has made it our mission to serve this under-supported group, and in so doing, make meaningful progress toward ending homelessness in San Diego and beyond.
We have helped over 6500 young adults.
THIS YEAR’S VICTORIES
369 UNDUPLICATED YOUTH SERVED IN OUR PROGRAMS
208 Young adults attained 1st-time employment
171 Young adults leased their first apartment
Our PROGRAMS
In 2022, our employment programs helped over 60 youth transition off the streets.
It is with joy we continue to see flows of our youth graduate from the streets to independent job holders. When we provide supportive environments and employment opportunities for our youth, they grab hold of skills that set them up for success in life.
YOUR COMMUNITY NEEDS YOUR HELP
Donate today or sign up for monthly contributions to support a young adult’s journey away from homelessness.
Join our collaborative community of helpers. Volunteers help to serve, mentor, and support youth in Urban Street Angels programs.
Have an idea, resource, or other valuable information, or want to learn more about what we do? We’d love to hear from you.
🎨✨ Some highlights from our recent OT groups and ceramics outing to Teralta Art! Our youth got creative with pipe cleaner flowers, mini bouquets, and amazing ceramics pieces 🌸🏺 We love seeing everyone’s creativity, confidence, and unique personalities shine through each project! #EndYouthHomelessness #OccupationalTherapy #YouthPrograms #YouthActivities #Creativity
Big things are ahead for two of our Padres 5-Tool Trade Academy participants! 🔥🧑🏭 They’re getting ready to start their welding programs and their new gear just arrived! They couldn’t be more excited to get started, learn new skills, and begin working toward careers in the trades. We love seeing our youth take the next step toward their goals and get excited about what’s ahead. We can’t wait to see where this opportunity takes them! #UrbanStreetAngels #EndYouthHomelessness #TradeCareers #SkilledTrades #CareerPathways
Yesterday, our team took some time to learn, connect, and have a little fun together. We kicked off the day with all-staff training and wrapped it up with a Padres game! ⚾️ Grateful for the people who show up every day for our youth and for the chance to spend some time together outside of work ☀️💛 #UrbanStreetAngels #EndYouthHomelessness #StaffTraining #TeamBuilding #SanDiegoNonprofit
During an OT group at HarborTAY, Cora explored creative expression and positive coping strategies through watercolor 🎨 She also shared some exciting news—after completing multiple job interviews, she was invited back for second-round interviews! We’re so proud of her continued progress and can’t wait to see where this next step takes her ✨ #EndYouthHomelessness #CreativeExpression #YouthSuccess #WorkforceDevelopment #MakingProgress
Today, some of our Padres 5-Tool Trade Academy participants and staff visited @youthassistancecoalitionsd for DPR Construction’s Trade Day! 🦺🔨 Our youth got hands-on exposure to careers in construction, learned new skills, and had the chance to gain valuable insight directly from industry professionals. Experiences like this help our youth explore career pathways and see what’s possible for their future. Thank you to YAC for hosting such a great event and creating this opportunity for our youth to learn, connect, and get a closer look at the construction trades! 👏 #UrbanStreetAngels #EndYouthHomelessness #TradeDay #ConstructionCareers #WorkforceDevelopment
🎉 WE LOVE TO SEE IT! 🎉 Big congrats to one of our youth on securing a new job as a Youth Program Leader! A milestone worth celebrating 🙌 We can’t wait to continue cheering you on every step of the way! #EndYouthHomelessness #YouthSuccess #YouthEmpowerment #Milestone #Congratulations
A few highlights from a recent OT group out in the community! 🎨☕ Our Occupational Therapy team partnered with @communalcoffee in North Park to host a therapeutic Paint & Sip experience for the youth we serve. Groups like these provide opportunities to express creativity, practice social skills, and simply enjoy a fun afternoon in a welcoming community space. A huge thank you to Communal Coffee for generously providing free drinks for our participants, and to @uofstaug for connecting us with such incredible OT students. We appreciate your partnership in creating meaningful experiences for our youth! ❤️ #EndYouthHomelessness #CommunityMatters #PaintAndSip #CreativeHealing #CommunityPartners
Welcome to HarborTAY: Pizza Social 🍕 The first of many community events for our youth here. These gatherings are all about creating opportunities to connect, build friendships, and be part of a community where they feel safe and supported 💙 A huge thank you to @mrmotopizza for sponsoring our very first Pizza Social! We’re so grateful for your generosity and for helping make this event possible. Want to sponsor a future HarborTAY event? We’d love to connect! 🤗 #EndYouthHomelessness #CommunityEvents #CommunityImpact #SanDiegoNonprofit #LittleItaly
To wrap up their summer cohort, our OT interns organized a community mural that gave youth the chance to leave their mark at Urban Street Angels through art 🎨 The mural brought everyone together to connect over shared interests and create something they can be proud of. Some youth even walked away with new friendships! A huge thank you to our OT interns for their creativity and dedication 💗 #EndYouthHomelessness #OTstudents #BuildingCommunity #MuralArt #TogetherWeGrow
Our nutrition groups are about more than just making good food 🥑🍓 From making guacamole to fresas con crema, our youth are learning everyday life skills like cutting and preparing food, reading nutrition labels, and making healthier choices they can use on their own. When we asked for feedback, every youth said they’d like to do more cooking and food activities. These hands-on groups, led by our OT team, help build confidence, independence, and skills they’ll use for years to come ✨ #EndYouthHomelessness #NutritionGroup #LifeSkills #OccupationalTherapy #YouthEmpowerment
We are so grateful to be a recipient of the 2026 Community Grant from San Diego County Employees’ Charitable Organization, which allowed us to purchase a new washing machine and two dryers for our youth housing programs. With so many young people relying on us every day, having reliable, large-capacity laundry equipment is essential. Clean clothing, bedding, and towels help us maintain a safe and hygienic environment where youth can feel comfortable and cared for. Thank you @sdceco for your support and for investing in the well-being of the youth we serve! ❤️ #EndYouthHomelessness #CommunitySupport #GrantFunding #SupportYouth #SanDiegoCounty
Every big journey starts with small victories. This was one of them ❤️ After nearly two months of working to get his birth certificate from Florida, we finally have it in hand—a huge step toward his future. He’s part of our Padres 5-Tool Trade Academy and is set to begin EMT training this September. We’re also helping him join a basketball league because that’s where his passion shines 🚑🏀 He is such a kind and dedicated young man and we’re proud to walk alongside him every step of the way. Every milestone matters and we’re excited to see all that’s ahead 🙌 #EndYouthHomelessness #SmallVictories #CareerPathways #Trades #BuildingAFuture
A few more moments from the HarborTAY grand opening! Thank you again to our partners, supporters, and everyone who helped bring this vision to life. We can’t wait to see the impact this new space will have on the youth we serve 💙 #EndYouthHomelessness #TransitionalHousing #SupportYouth #CommunityImpact #HopeStartsHere
🌈 We had an amazing time celebrating Pride with our youth at our Downtown Center today! Thank you to the incredible Lady Blanca and Amber St. James for spending the day with us and bringing so much fun, joy, and positivity to our celebration. We are so grateful you joined us! At Urban Street Angels, we’re proud to create a space where every young person feels welcomed, supported, and celebrated for who they are. Happy Pride! 🏳️🌈❤️ #EndYouthHomelessness #HappyPride #LoveisLove #Pride2026 #Community
New location for transitional housing coming soon! The need is greater than ever before and we can’t do it alone! #endyouthhomelessness #sandiego #hope #housing
🎉 Grand Opening Celebration! 🎉 We were thrilled to officially celebrate the opening of our newly transformed patio space at our La Mesa location! A very special thank you to Cymbiotika for their incredible generosity and support in helping bring this vision to life. We are also deeply grateful to David Kohen, the La Jolla Golden Triangle Rotary Club, the Copley Foundation, and everyone else who contributed their time, resources, and talents to make this project possible. We are so thankful for the amazing community that continues to invest in our youth and our mission! 💗 #UrbanStreetAngels #EndYouthHomelessness #GrandOpening #CommunityPartners #Grateful
We’ve been hard at work transforming the back patio space at our La Mesa location into a fun, welcoming, and livable outdoor area for our youth to enjoy—and we couldn’t be happier with the results! ✨ This project truly took a village and we are incredibly grateful to everyone who helped bring this vision to life. A huge thank you to David Kohen for helping design the space and providing beautiful furniture. Thank you to the La Jolla Golden Triangle Rotary Club for rolling up your sleeves and helping with painting and supplies. Thank you to the Copley Foundation for your support in providing materials for the project. And last but certainly not least, thank you to Cymbiotika for your incredibly generous donation and for adding a stunning mural that makes this space even more special. Your generosity, time, and support have helped create a place where our youth can relax and connect. We are so thankful to have such amazing community partners standing beside us ❤️ More to come soon from our Grand Opening celebration! #UrbanStreetAngels #EndYouthHomelessness #CommunityImpact #CommunityPartners #SanDiegoNonprofit
Memorial Day vibes at our VisTAY House 🍦❤️🤍💙 The youth enjoyed a fun Ice Cream Social together to kick off the holiday weekend! A huge thank you to our team member, Lauren, for planning the event and our awesome friends at @media.allstars for donating the festivities and helping make the day so special for our youth! #UrbanStreetAngels #EndYouthHomelessness #MemorialDay #IceCreamSocial #HolidayWeekend
One of the youth at our VisTAY House wanted to share a special childhood tradition for Cinco de Mayo by home-cooking a beautiful and delicious meal for everyone using ingredients from our local food bank 💛 It was such a thoughtful gesture that brought everyone together and the meal was enjoyed by all! #UrbanStreetAngels #CincoDeMayo #YouthServices #BuildingCommunity #MakingMemories
Nothing better than a movie & pizza night 🍕🎬 We love moments like these at our VisTAY House where our youth can kick back and spend time together! Shoutout to @media.allstars for the food and drinks 🙌 #UrbanStreetAngels #MovieNight #PizzaNight #YouthEngagement #CreatingMemories
We were honored to be invited on the field this weekend for a pre-game presentation of our Padres 5-Tool Trade Academy! Huge thanks to the @padres , @sdpadresfoundation , and @thexman2 for supporting this program and celebrating some of our current students and recent graduates! It was truly an unforgettable experience for everyone involved 💛⚾️ Please visit the link in our bio if you’d like to learn more information and get involved! #SanDiegoPadres #PadresFoundation #CommunityImpact #TradeAcademy #WorkforceDevelopment
Our Interim Shelter Bed Program case managers recently launched monthly drop-in sessions to meet youth where they’re at 🤝 This month’s focus: self-advocacy. Youth learned how to speak up for their needs, build confidence, and navigate adulthood with a stronger voice. We’re proud to create a space where questions are welcomed, challenges are shared, and growth happens! Big thanks to Woodstock’s Pizza & Chick-fil-A South Bay for supplying food for our youth in attendance 🙌 #UrbanStreetAngels #EndYouthHomelessness #SelfAdvocacy #YouthEmpowerment #FindingYourVoice
The Padres 5-Tool Trade Academy goes beyond teaching a trade — it equips participants with the tools they need to succeed in the real world 💪 These 5 tools are what we instill in every participant: Consistency. Impact. Hustle. Precision. Readiness. Through hands-on training and real-world experience, our students develop the habits and discipline that lead to long-term sustainability! #TradeAcademy #PathToSuccess #SuccessMindset #YouthDevelopment #HandsOnLearning
We’ve teamed up with the Padres, Padres Foundation, and Xander Bogaerts to reimagine our trade school program into the Padres 5-Tool Trade Academy! ⚾️🌟 This new partnership will help us reach even more young people, opening doors to the trades and creating a clear, sustainable path toward meaningful, long-term careers. #ChangingLives #TradeSchool #WorkforceDevelopment #YouthEmpowerment #Padres
