MY FRIEND'S PLACE ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR NEW PURPOSE-BUILT CAMPUS TO SERVE YOUNG PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN LOS ANGELES

New home will provide a welcoming, safe and purpose-built environment for young people, with construction anticipated to begin in 2027

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- My Friend's Place, a nonprofit organization serving young people experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles, today announced plans for a new, purpose-built campus that will become the organization's future home and support its work for generations to come.

Designed specifically around the needs of the young people My Friend's Place serves, the new campus will create a welcoming and safe environment where youth can access comprehensive services, resources and support under one roof. The project represents an important new chapter for My Friend's Place and will provide the organization with a space designed to reflect both the community it serves today and its vision for the future.

"This new campus is about creating a place where young people can feel safe, welcomed and supported from the moment they walk through the door," said Heather Carmichael, Executive Director of My Friend's Place. "For decades, My Friend's Place has been a place of connection and possibility for young people experiencing homelessness. This new home will allow us to build on that legacy while creating an environment designed for the future of our work."

The new campus is being made possible through a $20 million capital campaign, which has already secured more than $11.3 million in contributions. My Friend's Place has secured more than 55% of its overall goal as it enters the public phase of the campaign.

Longtime My Friend's Place supporter Miley Cyrus has been a passionate advocate for the organization and the young people it serves. As My Friend's Place embarks on this next chapter, Cyrus continues to champion its mission and vision for a new home for the community as the campaign's Honorary Chair.

"I'm proud to call Hollywood my home. I remember over 12 years ago going to My Friend's Place for the first time after realizing how many young people around me didn't have a place to call their home," said Cyrus. "I have seen firsthand over so many years the impact that My Friend's Place really can make on these younger people. I often quote 'a dream you dream alone is just a dream, but together it is a reality'. We would be honored and amazed if you would join us in making this new My Friend's Place campus a reality."

For the project, My Friend's Place has partnered with BAR Architects, MGAC for project management and Howard CDM as general contractor. Together, the teams bring extensive experience in community-focused projects and a shared commitment to creating a thoughtful, accessible and welcoming space for the young people who will call it home.

Emmy winning producer, actor, designer and best-selling author Bobby Berk is also lending his expertise to the project, bringing his extensive experience in design and his connections with leading brands to help shape the new campus. Berk's continued involvement will help bring the vision for the new space to life, with a focus on creating an environment that will be welcoming and reflective of the young people My Friend's Place serves.

Design plans and the construction budget are currently being finalized, with My Friend's Place anticipating all necessary approvals by December 2026 and a temporary relocation beginning in February 2027 to allow services to continue throughout the development process. Demolition of the current building and construction of the new facility are projected to begin in April 2027, with completion currently estimated for December 2028.

In preparation for the transition, My Friend's Place has begun the preliminary search for a temporary location. The organization will continue serving young people throughout the relocation and construction process, ensuring that critical programs and services remain available to the community.

To learn more about the campaign and how to support the future of My Friend's Place, visit myfriendsplace.org/capital-campaign/.

About My Friend's Place
On January 8, 1988, two friends working in Hollywood were compelled to help the homeless youth who populated the sidewalks just outside of their office door. Determined to effect change, no matter how small, the co-founders of My Friend's Place, Steve LePore and Craig Scholz, began spending their break time making and distributing sack lunches to the young people living on the streets. Soon, this simple act became a grassroots movement and Steve and Craig had assembled a group of kind-hearted volunteers who traversed Hollywood delivering meals. After countless hours of interactions with these young people, the duo realized providing meals only addressed a small portion of the issue. Within a year, the idea was born for creating a judgment-free, "safe place" where intangible needs such as physical and mental health services, creative outlets and employment and education assistance could be met. Thirty-eight years later, My Friend's Place has grown into a dynamic resource center that offers a comprehensive continuum of services to more than 1,300 homeless youth between the ages of 12 and 25, and their children and animal companions, each year.

SOURCE My Friend's Place