In a Minute

• Carry around a couple pairs of clean socks. When you see a homeless person, give them a pair. Imagine how uncomfortable (not to mention unsanitary) it must be to have to wear the same pair of socks for weeks on end - when they’re wet after it rains, and funky from over-usage. A clean pair of fresh socks takes care of comfort and hygiene!
• You can also carry around a non-perishable food like a cereal bar to offer it to a homeless person. Sometimes it’s better than giving them money. And don’t forget to smile and show them heartfelt kindness.

In an Hour

• Write an article on teen homelessness for your school or town paper. There’s power in the written word so spread the news on the issue!
• Contact a hotline! Worried about a friend? Dealing with some issues of your own? Don’t be afraid to contact a hotline. We have called each one of these lines and spoken to some pretty great people that are ready to help pretty much anybody. Hotlines are designed to help you handle any type of crisis. They can offer support or guidance when you need it most. [check out our hotline list]

In a Day

• Organize and plan an event for homeless kids, like a movie night or dinner. Homeless youth are often depressed so an event like this will help them feel normal if only for a while!
• Find shelter in your area and offer your services. Each shelter or organization will have different needs. Some may need you to cook or serve food, or sort and distribute clothes. If you’re more of a “behind the scenes” sort, you can do things around the office. [find a shelter near you]
• Get your crew together and spend the day beautifying the shelter. You can do everything from painting to sprucing up the play area. Just be sure to get approval from the shelter prior to showing up at their doorstep.

In a Month

• Start a Jeans Drive at your school, church, and/or community center. You can promote that warm, fuzzy feeling people get for helping others.
• Get trained as a teen outreach worker. You’ll go out on the street with adult outreach workers but you may just have an advantage over them because homeless youth trust other youth much more easily than they trust adults.

In a Year

• Start a new tradition at your school by organizing a yearly Kids Call. Kids Call is an interactive session via speakerphone for youth to hear straight from the National Runaway Switchboard staff what youth face when they are thinking about running away or have run away. Take it a step further by including this as part of your new annual promotion of National Runaway Prevention Month.