Case Study Of OUT Memphis
Once she had established who was in need, she wanted to address the systems that were already in place. She started working with existing services and emergency housing providers for youth to help them create a better environment for the youths at these centers. A lot of LGBTQ youths were either not allowed in, or were disrespected, harassed, or even assaulted when they sought help at these shelters. She invited the heads of these services to attend workshops to address these issues. Unfortunately private religions shelters were not required to go, which a majority of the shelters in Memphis are religious ones. However the ones that do receive federal funding came and are involved in ongoing relationship and conversations across these different agencies. She offered these agencies training, resources, role play scenarios, and evaluations to help them see how a young person coming into their shelters is going to experience it and how to address their unique set of needs. These workshops also raised awareness of OUT Memphis, as resource of
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Before Reyes, OUT Memphis had a food pantry and clothes available in the attic of OUT Memphis, which was what they could provide at the time without anyone to manage it. Reyes increased the services available to include hygiene kits, a safe storage area, ability to use the center as a mailing address. They also started helping youths get things like bus passes, food stamps, resumes, jobs, and replacement birth certificates, social security cards, which are often unable to get when they are kicked out of their parents homes. All of these things were amazing but they were still lacking in the major issue which was housing. They still did not have a permanent long-term sustainable solution to housing homeless youths. The only option Reyes could see was to open up their own housing that is specific to LGBTQ
Before Reyes, OUT Memphis had a food pantry and clothes available in the attic of OUT Memphis, which was what they could provide at the time without anyone to manage it. Reyes increased the services available to include hygiene kits, a safe storage area, ability to use the center as a mailing address. They also started helping youths get things like bus passes, food stamps, resumes, jobs, and replacement birth certificates, social security cards, which are often unable to get when they are kicked out of their parents homes. All of these things were amazing but they were still lacking in the major issue which was housing. They still did not have a permanent long-term sustainable solution to housing homeless youths. The only option Reyes could see was to open up their own housing that is specific to LGBTQ