High Mountain Youth Project Receives Grant to Empower Youth

High Mountain Youth Project (HMYP) located in Ruidoso New Mexico is a dedicated organization committed to ending youth homelessness in ans around Lincoln County.

The organization has been awarded a grant from the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP). The goal of YHDP is to support selected communities, including rural, suburban, and urban areas across the United States, in the development and implementation of a coordinated community approach to preventing and ending youth homelessness and is facilitated via HUD federal funding. 

Additionally, HUD is committed to sharing that experience of YHDP communities and mobilizing communities around the country toward the same end.

This significant funding will empower the HMYP mission and team to expand its comprehensive safety net for young people experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness by providing transitional housing, rental assistance, and supportive services to youth in Lincoln County and beyond. 

With this new grant, HMYP has established the following goals. 

Expand outreach and case management services: Increase the number of young people reached and provided individualized support to help them overcome barriers to housing, education, and employment.

Enhance housing stability programs: Offer more robust housing assistance, including transitional housing, rapid re-housing and permanent supportive housing, to ensure young people up to age 24 have safe and stable places to live.

 Strengthen educational and employment support: Provide supportive services to help young people achieve their academic and career goals.

Develop innovative prevention strategies: Implement evidence-based programs that address the root causes of youth homelessness, such as poverty, family instability, and trauma.

“We are incredibly grateful to the YHDP, the New Mexico Coalition to End Homelessness, and the Southern New Mexico Youth Action Board for recognizing this critical need for our communities,” said Laurie Benavides, President of HMYP. “This grant will enable us to continue to make significant impacts in the lives of young people in our community."

HMYP is committed to working collaboratively with youth, local partners, including schools, social service agencies, and community organizations, to ensure that youth and young adults up to age 24 have housing security.

About High Mountain Youth Project

High Mountain Youth Project is a nonprofit organization with a mission to provide a comprehensive safety net for youth experiencing or at risk of homelessness. HMYP provides a range of services, including a Drop-in Center, 24-hour Youth Emergency Shelter, and Housing Assistance.

To learn more about programs and services offered contact Laurie Benavides, Board President, via email info@highmountainyouth.org or call 575-808-8633.

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