LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS11) -- The city is asking you to open up your home to help the homeless in an entirely new way. The program is called "Host Homes" and will provide a transitional space to Louisville's younger homeless adults.
"It provides them with stability while they are working to find that more permanent solution to housing,” Liza Smith, “Host Homes” manager, said.
There are more than 800 homeless young people in Louisville right now, and they may not look like what you expect.
Smith explained, "These are the ones who maybe just don't have a job, these are individuals who maybe just don't have enough money saved up to pay a security deposit on an apartment."
That's where you come in.
"What we are looking for are individuals who are at least 25-years-old, who own or rent a property where they have extra space so the young adult can have their own private space and they are able to financially handle someone else being in their homes- so the added utility costs as well as the food costs,” Smith said.
There's a reason the program is 100-percent volunteer. Many of the young people who participate have aged out of the state's foster care system and requested it be that way.
Smith said, "The two things that they did not like the most about being in state's care is that individuals were compensated and that they felt like they were a pay check for that individual and they didn't have choice in where they stayed."
You won't be asked to be a parent but instead an ally- supporting a young person from your community, during their transition into a stable adulthood.
The commitment could be as little as one month and as much as three months.
The host home would be paired with a young adult and then go through meetings and conversations to ensure they are a good fit for one another.
If you’d like to learn more, you can take part in an informational session Saturday, May 19, at Douglas Boulevard Christian Church, from 1 p.m. until 2:30 p.m.
You can also contact Liza Smith at esmith@homeoftheinnocents.org or (502) 596-1328.