Sisu kicks off first overnight shelter for homeless youth

by Sara Ritsch
Staff Writer

Sisu, an OKC nonprofit for homeless youth, is kicking off its first overnight youth homeless shelter this Saturday, April 1. Sisu is a center that offers young people ages 18 to 20 a safe place to stay, giving them connections to a support system in order to help them overcome adversity and live independently.

Sisu’s mission is “to connect the growing number of metro youth experiencing homelessness to a citywide crisis support system that ensures OKC youth never again have to face crisis alone and without safe and supportive options,” according to their website.

There are currently more than 8,000 homeless youth in the Oklahoma City area public school system and over 11,000 in Oklahoma DHS custody. Most of these youth rely on sleeping on the street, couch surfing or a DHS home; all of which comprise of disadvantageous living situations.

LGBTQ homeless youth are disproportionately at risk in society, facing negative experiences in the child welfare system, unsupportive families and/or unsafe school environments due to their sexual orientation or gender identities. In fact, the high rates of these LGBTQ youth living on the streets makes them a bigger target for law enforcement, which can eventually force them into the criminal justice system.

But, “Anyone can survive knowing they’re not alone,” Penny Reynolds of Sisu says. “Homelessness is not who they are – it’s just what’s going on right now. [These homeless youth] can be whoever they want, and they can succeed in whatever they want.”

All of Sisu’s centers are volunteer-led, and they run on donations. They are always accepting essentials, such as socks, toothbrushes and toothpaste. To learn more, visit their Facebook page, Sisu Youth, Inc., or their website, www.sisuyouth.org.

The Gayly – 3/29/2016 @ 2:36 p.m. CDT