Strategic Plan
Adopted by the Board of Directors
May 2013
Mission Statement
Lost-n-Found Youth, Inc. is an Atlanta-based nonprofit corporation whose mission is to take homeless lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youths off the street and transition them into more permanent housing arrangements. We operate a 24/7 hotline at (678) 8-Lost-25 as well as a 6-bed housing facility in Atlanta,
Georgia.
Reason for Expansion
After operating for over one year, the board of Lost-n-Found Youth
have a new knowledge of the extent of the LGBT youth homeless problem in Atlanta and the State of Georgia. Unfortunately, our 6-bed facility and 7-90 day program is not large enough to meet the current large numbers of LGBT homeless youth in the region. As a result, many LGBT youth remain on our wait list—which is to say, on the street or otherwise at risk of being homeless—and we lose contact with these youths.
Additionally, given the current poor state of the economy and the challenges of the job market, the cost of basic furnishings and housewares, and the lack of a community resource for these as well as clothing, the board understands we need a solution for our clients who are ready to work or move out on their own but require job opportunities and clothing/housewares assistance. We made a commitment to our community in November 2011
to do whatever was necessary to meet these needs. After studying Atlanta’s current resources and our own capabilities, we concluded that the expanding our services will enable us to meet these challenges and fulfill our commitment.
Goals & Achievement Vehicles
Our strategic plan hopes to meet the following goals:1. To house and help as many of Atlanta’s homeless LGBT youth as are ready and willing to make the transition from homelessness. Achievement vehicle: expanded transitional facility with additional bed space and case managers.
2. To give emergency shelter and support services to Atlanta’s homeless LGBT youth who are not ready or not willing to come off the street and into our transitional program. Achievement vehicle: emergency shelter and drop-in center facility.
3. To not only raise funds to support the above programs, but to create a self-sustaining source of funds for our program as well as job opportunities, clothing, furniture and housewares for our youth.
Achievement vehicle: Lost-n-Found Youth community thrift store.
Our Primary Services
24/7 phone, texts, and email response Emergency and transitional housing Emergency clothing & food for youth
on the street
Mental health evaluations & counseling Referrals to HIV/STD testing, health
and dental services
Assistance for lost or stolen birth
certificates, driver’s licenses or state ID cards
Referrals to GED training/testing and
other education resources
Resume writing/editing and interview skills training
Community Thrift Store
The board of LnF seeks to establish a thrift store as a self-sustaining, revenue generating component to serve our mission, following the footsteps of well established models such as Goodwill, Diversity Thrift (Richmond, VA), Out of the Closet Thrift Stores (22 stores from LA to NYC), and Revivals (Palm Springs).
Background
Community members have generously donated loads upon loads of used clothing, housewares, and furniture to LnF—so much so that we rent off-site storage as a clothing closet where our clients obtain needed items such as interview-appropriate clothing. The donations have filled the storage unit to capacity, and we have had to limit new donations to our most urgent needs. Additionally, LnF has had great success with one-day rummage sales, raising over $5,000 from only two such sales to date. However, the labor and resources required to execute rummage sales means our volunteers can only support two sales per year.
Our conclusion is that, given the generous donations of the
rummage sales, the last of which filled two 26-foot cargo trucks and several pickup trucks; the financial success of these events; the labor involved to complete them; and the additional program benefits of a retail location, is that a thrift store makes financial and programmatic sense.
Program Benefits of a Thrift Store
In addition to providing revenues, a thrift store would also serve LnF’s homeless LGBT youth clients as: 1. A clothing closet for those that need a fresh outfit for job interviews.
2. A source of furniture and household items for “graduating” LnF youth clients.
3. An on-the-job training site for youth clients that need to add experience to their resumes.
Size & Location
We are seeking a location in range of 5,000 to 8,000 square feet. Our target neighborhoods include the Midtown and North Midtown/Cheshire Bridge areas.
Costs & Revenue Estimates
LnF would like to raise startup costs plus three months’ worth of operating expenses to proceed. The total estimated startup cost is $27,500. For a breakdown of this figure, please turn to Cost Estimates on page 9. Our research indicates charity thrift stores generate $100,000 to $4,000,000 of annual gross revenue. We
Quick Facts:
Thrift Store
Benefits: source of funding for LnF,
functionality as a clothing closet/ furniture bank for LnF clients,
on-the-job training for LnF clients.
Possible locations: Cheshire Bridge, Midtown
Model programs: Goodwill (USA), Diversity Thrift (VA), Out of the Closet (CA, FL, NY), Revivals (CA)
Estimated Costs:
$5,000 fixtures & supplies $22,500 3 months’ expenses $27,500 total estimated cost Estimated Revenue: $192,000
Drop-in Center
The Drop-in Center would allow Lost-n-Found Youth, Inc. to give LGBT youth on the street—who may or may not be ready, willing or eligible for a transitional living program—urgent assistance such as hot meals; clothing; referrals to medical, dental, drug treatment and other facilities; showers; hygiene supplies, and more.
Background
In the past year and a half, the homeless outreach team at LnF has answered phone calls and assisted over 150 youth. Many of the youth are triaged and placed on our shelter wait list. All are given referrals to partner organizations. Unfortunately, the wait for a bed at the Lost-n-Found house can be several weeks. By the time our staff circles back around to attempt to bring the youth into our program, they have moved on or otherwise disappeared. A visible and accessible drop-in center will allow Lost-n-Found to serve youth daily, on the street, who may not be eligible for placement in our or other agencies’ housing programs, not willing to come off the street, or waiting for transitional placement.
Program Benefits
The drop-in center will serve as a destination our hotline volunteers and other agencies can refer LGBT street youth. The drop-in center will be staffed by two paid Lost-n-Found employees and supported by volunteers scheduled to work regular and recurring hours. We plan for the center to be consistently open at regularly scheduled times, with a goal of 7-day operation. The center will support LGBT youth up to age 26 living on the
street and, to a lesser extent, those already receiving assistance
from other programs. The center will provide a friendly and accepting space for homeless LGBT youth to congregate during service hours. Youth will be provided with packaged meals, restrooms, showers, laundry facilities, clothes closet, computers, job search assistance, education assistance, and referrals.
Size & Location
The center will be centrally located in the Midtown or Old 4th Ward area within walking distance of a MARTA rail line. The facility will be no smaller than 1200 ft2.
Features
1. An open “living room” space visible and inviting to youth on the street 2. 2 office spaces with locking doors
Quick Facts:
Drop-in Center/
Emergency Shelter
Benefits: LnF can assist a wider population of the LGBT homeless youth with the most urgent needs. Better serve youth not ready/willing to enter transitional programs.
Possible locations: On MARTA, preferably Midtown or Old 4th Ward Model programs: StandUp4Kids, Covenant House
Estimated Costs:
$30,000 buildout, furnishings $70,000 12 months’ expenses $100,000 total estimated cost Population Served: LGBT youth living on the streets/in cars/etc., both those ready to come off the streets and those who may not be ready
Drop-in Center (continued)
Features (continued)
3. A secured entry point and lockers where youth can store belongings on entry 4. 2 or more restrooms with attached standing showers
5. Secured clothing and storage closet
6. Dining space with attached kitchenette for warming premade meals 7. Laundry area with 2 full sized washers & driers
8. 3 computer stations and a work space for youth to perform job and resource searches
Cost Estimates
LnF would like to raise startup/buildout funds plus one year of expenses to proceed. The total estimated startup cost is $100,000. For a breakdown of this figure, please turn to Cost Estimates on page 9.
Expansion of Transitional Housing Program
The transitional housing program, currently serving up to six youth for stays of up to 90 days, is LnF’s primary solution for homeless LGBT youth. The board is proposing a new facility that could house up to 18 LGBT youth for stays of up to one year, as well as offer nightly emergency housing and a permanent drop-in center location.
Background
Having tackled this problem head on since December 2011, it is apparent to the board that LnF’s 6-bedroom house only begins to serve a homeless LGBT youth population that, based on the population of our wait list at any given time, requires at least three times as much bed space.
Unfortunately, the social and economic conditions of the Southeast means that LGBT youth homelessness is a problem that may never entirely disappear, and the LnF wait list has as many as 12 youth waiting for a bed in LnF’s house at any given time.
Program Benefits
The new facility would allow the LnF to adequately meet the current need of the homeless LGBT youth in Atlanta by offering more youth housing for a longer transitional period. The new facility would also enable us to dedicate beds to emergency shelter, which we currently can only share because of occupancy
restrictions.
Allowing the youth a longer transitional period would enable us to tackle more challenging cases more successfully, such as those youth who need a GED, require more extensive job skills training, and those who want to consider higher education part-time.
The sooner we are able to get the youth off the street and into a stable, caring environment, the better their chances to grow into sustainable, self-reliant adulthood.
Size & Location
We have located one potential facility, a 4,000 ft2 building, which would have ample room to serve as transitional
and emergency as well as a permanent home for the drop-in center. LnF is working with the owners on a plan to renovate the structure for our needs and occupy it, rent-free, for 15 years. If this does not appear feasible, we would dedicate those funds to the lease of a different and equally suitable space.
Cost Estimates
LnF would like to raise startup/buildout funds plus one year of expenses to proceed. The total estimated startup cost is $720,000. For a breakdown of this figure, please turn to Cost Estimates on page 9.
Quick Facts:
Transitional
Housing Program
Benefits: help more youth with emergency and transitional housing, permanent home for drop-in center, longer stays increase long-term success Possible locations: On MARTA Model programs: Covenant House, True Colors (NYC)
Estimated Costs:
$720,000 total estimated cost Population Served: Homeless LGBT youth who are ready to come
off the streets and transition to
Project Timeline
The following represents an ideal timeline and fundraising targets. Of note: the drop-in center should be open before cold weather begins.
MAY 2013
JULY 2013
OCT 2013
APR 2014
OCT 2014
Capital Campaign Launches
Host Home Program Pilot Program Begins
Community Thrift Store opens
Drop-in Center Opens
Location scouting for new Transitional Living Facility begins
Groundbreaking — New Transitional Living Facility
New Transitional Living Facility opens
Target: $30,000
Target: $130,000
Target: $400,000
Cost Estimates
Cost Estimates
Below are more detailed cost estimates on each of the proposed achievement vehicles. These are not exhaustive and represent our best estimation from informal inquiries with knowledgeable persons. In all cost areas, we hope to offset these figures with volunteer labor and donated goods wherever offered and feasible.
Thrift Store
$5,000 Supplies. This includes clothing fixtures, cash register, paint, mirrors, hangers, etc. $9,900 Rent. Three months at $3,300/month.
$10,000 Labor. Three months at $3,200/month. $2,000 Utilities. Three months, including deposits. $600 Insurance and miscellaneous expenses. $27,500 estimated total costs
Drop-in Center
$30,000 Build out. Construction, paint, flooring, plumbing, electrical & telephone installation, etc. $30,000 Rent. 12 months at $2,500/month.
$30,000 Paid staff. 1 year at $30,000/year. $7,000 Utilities. 1 year, including deposits. $500 Insurance.
$2,500 Furnishings, food, office supplies, and other items. $100,000 estimated total costs
Transitional Housing Facility
Scenario 1: Renovation of interested property
$300,000 Renovation. Includes plumbing, construction, HVAC, electrical, paint, permits, etc. $300,000 Labor (Paid staff). 3 staff for 2 years at $50,000/year.
$58,000 Utilities. 2 years, including deposits.
$30,000 Furnishings. Beds, desks, tables, chairs, sofas, housewares, computers, etc. $30,000 Grease trap and permit.
$2,000 Insurance.
$720,000 estimated total costs
Scenario 2: Traditional lease
$300,000 Lease payments. $100,000 Build out.
Other costs identical.
Contingency Plans
The Lost-n-Found Youth board developed the three solutions described to address our identified growth areas because we believe that these needs are urgent although we acknowledge that not all funds may be raised or raised on our preferred timeline. Each solution proposed represents what the board believes is the ideal solution to what are pressing needs, but these solutions are scalable.
In the event that funds do not meet our aspirations or schedule, some of the following may occur that would still allow for a substantial expansion of Lost-n-Found Youth and make a meaningful positive impact in the level of service we provide to our homeless LGBT youth.
Community Thrift Store
The thrift store may be smaller or staffed shorter hours.
Drop-in Center
The drop-in center may be smaller, offer fewer amenities or cost-driven services, or be open fewer days and/ or operate with fewer hours. The core functions of the center—distribution of food and clothing, referrals to other agencies—would remain. We would, however, remain committed to opening a drop-in center as soon as
is feasible.
Transitional Housing Facility
The transitional facility may house fewer youth, offer fewer amenities, and/or offer fewer services. We may opt for multiple residential houses rather than one large facility. We may open the facility in stages, as funds
How You Can Help
Make a Tax-Deductible Donation
We rely on our community for 80% of our funding, and this campaign is no exception. Donations from individuals like you, whether large or small, make our work possible.
Visit our new website, www.lostnfoundyouth.org, to make a donation, or send a check payable to Lost-n-Found Youth, Inc., 470 Candler Park Drive, Atlanta, GA 30307.
Hold a Fundraising Event
Are you a part of a sports team or community group? Do you have a charitable group of coworkers? If your
talent is bringing people together to support a cause, hold a fundraiser!
Spread the Word
We want as many people to know about LGBT youth homelessness and what we are doing about it. Tell your friends, family and coworkers about what we do, and encourage them to show their support.
Contact Us
The board of Lost-n-Found Youth, Inc. welcomes your questions and feedback. Telephone: 678.8LOST.24, 678.856.7824
24/7 Homeless Youth Hotline: 678.8LOST.25, 678.856.7825 Address: 470 Candler Park Drive
Atlanta, GA 30307 Email: info@lost-n-found.org