Nonprofit launches holiday campaign to eradicate youth homelessness on LI
On Thanksgiving Day, health and human service nonprofit Family & Children’s Association (FCA) announced the launch of a special holiday fundraising initiative dedicated to supporting runaway, homeless, and trafficked youth on Long Island.
“Youth homelessness is a very real and growing issue on Long Island—and one that frequently goes unseen,” said FCA president and CEO Jeffrey Reynolds. “This campaign is about rallying Long Island to step forward and ensure these kids are not forgotten.”
The campaign calls on kindhearted Long Islanders to donate $19 per month in order to help provide stable housing, counseling, case management, and vital support services for young people in crisis. FCA operates Nassau Haven, Nassau County’s only 24-hour emergency center for youth, providing safe, short-term housing, crisis intervention, and direct links to essential community resources for runaway, homeless, and trafficked children and teens ages 10 to 20. FCA also operates Walkabout, a transitional living program.
The organization has created a video public service announcement that will air on News 12 Long Island. The announcement’s voiceover, from the perspective of a teenager, invites donors to “take away the ‘less’ and give kids a home.”
“This simple but impactful message of changing ‘homeless’ to ‘home’ forces us to confront a heartbreaking truth: too many young people on Long Island are facing the cold months without a safe place to sleep, without support, and without hope,” said Kim Como, FCA’s chief communications officer. “With the community’s generosity, we can ensure every teen has shelter, stability, and the chance to build a future.”
The funds raised will directly support FCA’s programs for teens experiencing homelessness, including emergency shelter, longer-term transitional housing, educational support, mental health counseling, and workforce development opportunities. Long Islanders who want to join the campaign can visit www.fcali.org to make a recurring monthly donation.
