Fred Finch Transfers Berkeley Youth Housing Program to Larkin Street

Ensuring Commitment to Solving Bay Area Youth Homelessness

BERKELEY, Calif., Oct. 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Larkin Street Youth Services and Fred Finch Youth & Family Services publicly announced the historic handover of the Turning Point transitional homelessness facility in Berkeley, California. All youth participants and program staff have been successfully transitioned to Larkin Street's care and supervision.

The Fred Finch Board of Directors initiated this transfer to a provider specializing in the homeless youth population, so that the agency could strategically strengthen its focus by continuing services for its longstanding core areas of expertise, including mental health services, residential treatment and care of youth diagnosed with developmental disabilities, and the foster youth population.

"Turning Point has set a standard serving hundreds of young adults as they secure permanent housing, achieve gainful employment, and pursue the option of higher education," said Thomas Alexander, President & CEO of Fred Finch. "We are confident in Larkin Street's ability to carry on this mission."

Supported by funding from the City of Berkeley and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Larkin Street has also committed to making critical capital improvements to the Turning Point facility without increasing its size or neighborhood presence.

"Fred Finch and Larkin Street have done incredible work in our region to support transitional age youth," said Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin. "The transition of operations at Turning Point will ensure that this vital program continues to provide young people experiencing homelessness opportunities to access secure permanent housing."  

The acquisition of Turning Point by Larkin Street Youth Services will build on its mission to meet the needs of young people experiencing homelessness throughout the Bay Area. It will further the organization's reach to the East Bay as its first brick-and-mortar service hub outside San Francisco.

"We are committed to the simple idea that no young person should find themselves without a safe and stable place to call home, and if it does happen, it should be rare, brief, and one time only," said Sherilyn Adams, Executive Director of Larkin Street.

Under the new leadership of Larkin Street, the Turning Point program will continue providing participants with the following services, which is staffed 24 hours a day:

• Transitional housing for youth ages 18-24 for up to 24 months
• Case management and life-skill training
• Health and wellness services, including individual and group therapy
• Educational supports, including GED testing and college placement
• Employment supports, including internship and job placements

Notably, the transition of operations from Fred Finch to Larkin Street comes at a pivotal moment for the City of Berkeley and its neighboring communities. A recent HUD-authorized survey indicates youth ages 18 – 24 represent 11.8% of individuals experiencing homelessness in Berkeley, a marked increase from 7% in 2019, further underscoring the need for services like Turning Point.  

Since its founding 131 years ago, Fred Finch Youth & Family Services has been a leader in treating children and families across systems of care. With our main campus located in Oakland, we provide daily innovative, effective services supporting children, youth, young adults, and families to heal from trauma and lead healthier productive lives. We provide innovative, effective services to support participants and their families to reach their goals. For more information, please visit www.fredfinch.org.

Larkin Street Youth Services is an internationally recognized leader in providing effective housing, education, employment, and health services to at-risk, homeless, and runaway youth. Larkin Street reaches ages 12 to 24 across San Francisco and has served over 75,000 youth since 1984. Three out of four who complete the full range of Larkin Street programs successfully exit to stable housing. For more information, please visit www.larkinstreetyouth.org.

Contact: Marcus Young 415-505-2524
[email protected]

SOURCE Fred Finch