GreenLight Fund Baltimore Hosts "Charming Nights" Event, Celebrating Innovative Programs Working to End Youth Homelessness In Baltimore

BALTIMORE, March 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- GreenLight Baltimore hosted its "Charming Nights" event on March 7th, 2024, at the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore, Maryland. The event drew 150 attendees, raising critical awareness for the organization's mission to use a community-driven approach to tackle economic and racial inequities, remove barriers, create new opportunities and improve economic mobility

Charming Nights was an evening filled with celebration, food, music, and community spirit —featuring a an art collection from the "Artwork for Equity Campaign". Uplifting the leadership and advocacy of Baltimore's young people and the tireless efforts of those working to place power and resources in their hands, attendees celebrated the launch of Point Source Youth's (PSY) Direct Cash Transfers intervention coming to Baltimore. In addition, awards were given to three dynamic local leaders who work to make Baltimore an even better place to live, work and enjoy.

"Point Source Youth's Direct Cash Transfer intervention is a welcomed addition in the City of Baltimore," said Ryan Turner, Executive Director, GreenLight Fund Baltimore. "Placing cash in the hands of young people means placing the power for them to accelerate their path towards self-sufficiency and economic success — we are elated to celebrate Point Source Youth today."

Together with Point Source Youth, GreenLight Baltimore produced a youth-led video documenting the process of co-creating the direct cash transfers program with youth consultants in Baltimore. The video debuted at the event as a showcase of months of community collaboration and the hard work of young people to make the launch of PSY's direct cash transfers pilot in Baltimore—CARE Baltimore (Cash Assistance, Resources, & Engagement) a successful intervention for Baltimore's young people.

GreenLight's partner organization, Point Source Youth shared exciting updates coming out of CARE Baltimore, and invited attendees to their 8th Annual National Symposium on Solutions to End Youth Homelessness in Baltimore on June 24-26, 2024. "Point Source Youth is thrilled to be partnered with GreenLight Baltimore to bring CARE (Cash Assistance Resources, and Engagement) Baltimore to fruition," says Anjala Huff, Point Source Youth's Vice President of Direct Cash Transfers."This is our opportunity to show the young people of Baltimore that we are listening, we hear their concerns, and we will act now by putting power and resources directly in their handsoint Source Youth will continue to work with GreenLight to expand direct cash transfers for youth in Baltimore."

Through CARE Baltimore, Point Source Youth aims to generate evidence for designing successful housing interventions for youth experiencing homelessness. Additionally, the CARE Baltimore program aims to create stand-up processes, procedures, and infrastructures that are geared for sustainability, scalability, and racial and 2SLGBTQIA+ equity as part of Baltimore's systemic response to ending youth homelessness. PSY believes that by trusting young people, removing financial barriers to housing, and offering supportive services before becoming unhoused, we will see more young people avoid homelessness and stay housed long-term.

About GreenLight, Baltimore

GreenLight Fund Baltimore uses a community-driven approach to tackle economic and racial inequities, remove barriers, create new opportunities and improve economic mobility Outcomes. GreenLight Fund Baltimore partners with communities to remove barriers to inclusive prosperity by launching and scaling proven programs that meet community-identified needs.For more information, please visit https://greenlightfund.org/sites/baltimore/

About Point Source Youth 

Point Source Youth (PSY) envisions a world where all young people can enjoy the right to safety, stability, and joy. PSY works with communities large and small, alongside local youth advocates to advance affirming, data-backed solutions that place power and resources directly in the hands of youth experiencing homelessness. Because PSY knows that the young people most impacted by the crisis are QTBIPOC, their interventions work to uplift and meaningfully center their voices most. By providing young people with subsidized rent & leases in their own names (Rapid Re-housing), matching youth with affirming adults and spare rooms in their communities (Host Homes), to giving them monthly cash payments with optional wrap-around services of their choosing (Direct Cash Transfers), and one-time cash payments to young people with the goal of preventing them from entering homelessness in the first place (Direct cash Transfers as Prevention)—Point Source Youth works to ensure that youth homelessness is rare, brief and non-recurring. 

For more information, please visit www.pointsourceyouth.org

SOURCE POINT SOURCE YOUTH