NBC26 GREEN BAY — According to The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, nearly 17,000 school-age youth are either on their own or homeless. A local organization is providing support to teenagers. A demographic, organizers say is commonly targeted.
The House of Hope opened in 2000 and has been providing a safe space for teens who may be down on their luck.
According to the House of Hope’s Executive Director Shannon Wienandt the buildings have been home to a majority of teenage parents, specifically teenage mothers.
“We have had a lot of teen parents come through for multiple different reasons, maybe they have been staying with friends or family and they have been couch surfing, or maybe they have made the decision that they need help.”
The House is split into two sides, the families and adult side, and then the teenager side.
In Wienandt’s 10 years with the organization, the youngest person she saw come through their doors living on their own was a mere 11 years old.
“It's a pretty jarring reality.” she says “and we have struggled in some ways because there aren’t a lot of foster families out there who are interested in helping teenagers.”
The House of Hope recently added to its operations by adding a 24-hour drop-in center that will allow for shared space. The organization received a $100,000 grant that helped finish off the plans for the center.
