Star Vista Grant Recipient Ceremony
Star Vista serves homeless, runaway and foster youth in San Mateo County through the Daybreak Program. This program provides nutritious food, shelter and safety; counseling, therapy and social support; independent living skills training and other comprehensive services that help youth make a successful transition from life on the street to healthy, positive living environments and self-sufficiency. Daybreak is the only intensive residential service in San Mateo County designed to meet the needs of unaccompanied homeless, runaway and former foster youth aged 16-21.
Students in the Daybreak program either maintain enrollment in an accredited high school program or secure a high school equivalency degree. Youth beyond high school age complete a job-training program and secure and maintain employment. All youth are provided healthy meals and a safe and stable shelter. The majority of youth who leave the program successfully transition to positive living arrangements.
At Daybreak, youth live at a 10-bed house for up to 18 months while resident counselors work with them to develop individualized transitional living plans. The plans address a number of needs including social support, education and training, employment, opportunities to give back to the community, adequate physical and mental health care, and substance abuse treatment. Daybreak partners with a number of community agencies to provide needed services and permanent housing when youth leave the house. Youth receive after care support services for as long as needed when they leave the program.
Through intensive street outreach in the community, StarVista reaches over 3,000 homeless and at-risk youth each year by canvassing local high schools and going directly to the places where street youth gather such as shopping malls, parks and public transportation depots. These youth are provided information and referrals to food, shelter, and health services.
IMPACT
A grant from 100 Women Charitable Foundation will offset recent cuts in federal funding that previously supported Daybreak’s general operating costs. The funds will be used to return staff on-site hours to previous levels (24/7) and provide food and supplies for the house. hello