Covenant House Georgia (CHGA), also affectionately known as "The Cov," is more than just a shelter for the unhoused.
"We provide more than a bed and a meal for youth experiencing homelessness and escaping trafficking," said the organization's chief executive officer, Alieizoria Redd. "We show unconditional love and give comprehensive support so that our youth can and will realize their fullest potential."
The services and support that the many Covenant House branches provide are inclusive of all youth, including ones who are LGBTQ-identified, ranging from 16 to 24 years old. Redd describes their services, which include street outreach, emotional, mental, physical and spiritual health support, recreational therapy, intensive case management, academic support and workforce development, pregnant and parenting programs as part of a "mission to end youth homelessness as we know it."
Founded in 1972, the nonprofit's programs have always extended to homeless LGBTQ youth. Redd, who is LGBTQ-identified, also serves as the co-chair for the City of Atlanta Mayor's LGBTQ Advisory Board.
A housing advocate for over 30 years, she calls this line of work a personal and divine calling, given childhood and early adulthood challenges that gave her the wherewithal "to understand and respond to the plight of those needing support, to be a shoulder to stand on and voice when they're unable to speak for themselves," she told Reckon.
Outside of the holiday cheer that this season brings, Redd emphasized that it can be a triggering time for many who have discord amongst family, relationships, financial stability and housing -- especially for queer, trans and nonbinary youth.
The challenges LGBTQ youth face with housing instability
According to The Trevor Project's 2022 report, "Homelessness and Housing Instability Among LGBTQ Youth," 28% of LGBTQ youth reported having experienced homelessness or housing instability at some point in their lifetime. Notably, those who did were two to four times more likely to report depression, anxiety, self-harm, suicide ideation and attempts compared to LGBTQ youth with stable housing.
Sixteen percent of the youth reported sleeping away from their parents or caregivers as a result of running away from home, with 55% of them stressing that mistreatment or fear of mistreatment due to their LGBTQ identity was the reason for leaving. Additionally, four percent reported sleeping away due to getting kicked out or abandoned, with 40% noting that it was due to their LGBTQ identity.
The national Covenant House nonprofit organization noted that queer, trans and nonbinary youth are 120% more likely to experience homelessness compared to their peers, with less than half of homeless youth identifying as LGBTQ. Not to mention the holidays tend to coincide with colder weather conditions in northern areas of the country, exacerbating pre-existing challenges of young LGBTQ homeless people.
Meanwhile, outside of Georgia, organizations in Texas and Missouri are taking matters into their own hands.
Why a shelter in Texas provides apartments to unhoused LGBTQ youth
Although he didn't come out to his parents until he was in his thirties, Justin Holley, now 53, had always grown up in a supportive home.
Based in San Antonio, Holley serves as the executive director of Thrive Youth Center, a nonprofit organization working to provide homeless queer, trans and nonbinary youth with a safe and supportive environment. While being queer was never going to be an issue on surface level, Holley tells Reckon that this internal battle he dealt with regarding his sexuality led him to substance abuse -- a point of connection he makes with the youth he sees at the center.
"My parents loved me, yet I didn't feel loved enough. And although it's not necessarily the reality of what was there, it was [still] my reality," he said, explaining the profound significance of giving people a safe space. "If we can create that environment to individuals that have already gone through trauma, they can get back on track in their early teens and 20s instead of having to wait when they're much older to deal with those issues."
Last year, Texas became the state with the most anti-trans bills introduced in the Legislature, with 69 out of 615 bills in total nationwide. Not to mention conservative lawmakers are already filing bills for 2025 that would dictate bathroom use, limit gender identity markers on legal documentation and restrict surgery funds. For Holley, this makes his work at Thrive Youth Center all the more dire.
He recalls a particular story from last year, when a 19-year-old trans girl briefly stayed at Haven For Hope, another homeless shelter in San Antonio. Thrive Youth Center enrolled the teen -- who had dropped out of school in seventh grade -- into their own program. Within three months of staying with Thrive Youth Center, she earned her high school diploma. Today, she is in college.
"This individual is starting to live a life that they get to flourish in instead of being under stress all the time," he said.
Holley's center has a shelter, 16 of which are beds designated for LGBTQ youth. However, they also provide 45 apartments to youth ages 18 to 24. According to him, about a little less than half of those youth that come into their housing program identify as LGBTQ.
Aside from Thrive Youth Center, a shelter in Missouri is taking on similar work for its community.
Keeping heads above water in Missouri
Opportunity House, a shelter in St. Louis, Mo., doesn't explicitly center unhoused queer, trans and nonbinary youth, but volunteer executive director Rob Donnelly says that given the political landscape of Missouri, focusing on supporting the LGBTQ community became a major priority.
This year, Missouri has seen the second most anti-trans legislation bills, at 47, following Oklahoma's 60. According to the Trans Legislation Tracker, 2024 broke last year's record, with 669 bills introduced in total.
"Our goal is to continue to add beds and grow our LGBTQ-focused housing site -- which wasn't in the original plans, but we're trying to be responsive and adapt to what our community needs, and being flexible is important to us," said Donnelly, who also identifies as part of the LGBTQ community.
Opportunity House focuses on small-scale, community-focused housing with eight to 12 beds in apartments rather than a shared group home setting. Donnelly shares that the holidays are a unique time for all young people experiencing homelessness, instability, strained relationships and even lack of relationships.
"Some of our kiddos have been not as present since early November," he said, alluding to Trump's victory in the recent election. "We give them as much support and encouragement as we can, but I am not a replacement parent, so there's also a level of support around this time of year that I cannot give them."
He adds that the holidays remind the LGBTQ youth he works with of the relationships that are no longer or all the people that have hurt them.
"We work through that as best we can, and sometimes working through it is keeping our head above water through the holidays and coming out the other side," he said.
Redd, who shared similar sentiments about the holidays, puts it simply: one person can make a world of a difference.
"It is imperative that we support our youth and LGBTQ community during this season because it takes just one person, one community to lean into sharing unconditional love, absolute respect and relentless support to prevent the loss of a beautiful life, build positive memories and strengthen the life of a young person who needs us the most during such a critical time in their lives."