Higgins: $250,000 in federal funding for Plymouth Crossroads

Grant supports transitional living program for runaway & homeless youth

Congressman Brian Higgins announced a federal grant totaling $250,000 awarded to Plymouth Crossroads. Funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and awarded through the Administration for Children and Family Services, Family and Youth Bureau, the grant will provide support services and resources for runaway and homeless youth in Western New York.

“Runaway and homeless youth, especially those escaping abuse and domestic violence, need resources and support services not only to find stable living situation, but also place themselves on path toward long-term self-sufficiency,” Higgins said. “Plymouth Crossroads has helped many Western New York youth build safe and stable lives. Funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services serves as another investment in a better future for local youth in crisis.”

“We are overjoyed by the news and the new opportunities this grant is affording us,” said Jennifer McAndrew, executive director of Plymouth Crossroads. “These funds are crucial to ensuring that our most vulnerable youth will have a safe place to call home. With winter right around the corner, this award will not only be lifechanging, but lifesaving for some of our youth.”

Hochul’s team said, “Each year, thousands of young people in the United States run away from their homes, may be asked to leave their homes, or become homeless. Created as part of the 1988 amendments to the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, the transitional living program addresses the needs of older youth. The program intends to provide a temporary safety net and strong emotional support for young people to transition toward self-sufficiency. It awards grants to public and private organizations for community-based, adult-supervised group homes to provide safe, stable and appropriate shelter for runaway and homeless youth ages 16 to under 22 for up to 18 months. Eligible grantees offer comprehensive services that support the transition of homeless youth to stable, independent living. In 2018, transitional living programs helped over 2,080 homeless youth transition into a life on their own.

“Grant funding, totaling $250,000, will provide continued support for the transitional living program at Plymouth Crossroads in Western New York. This year, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services allocated over $20 million toward transitional living programs.” Plymouth Crossroads received one of about 83 grants awarded across the country.

Plymouth Crossroads is a nonprofit organization serving disconnected, abused and homeless youth ages 16-20. Its transitional living program offers support for education, job training and placement, and life skills at no cost to youth. The organization works in conjunction with local youth to develop independent, healthy paths for their future by offering the tools needed to be self-supportive and avoid long-term dependency on social services. To learn more, visit http://www.plymouthcrossroads.org/.