Casa Youth Shelter

For over 46 years, Casa Youth Shelter has served youth ages 12-17 who have experienced abuse, neglect, homelessness and other crises. From our one location centrally located between L.A. and Orange Counties, our services, available 24/7, year-round, include 12 licensed beds and full shelter care. Because of the generosity of supporters like you, we can offer all our services for free.

Donations made to our Long Beach Gives Campaign will ensure that more at-risk children, youth, and their families receive critical resources for continued growth.

Casa Youth Shelter is the closest emergency shelter available to the city of Long Beach. While there are limited shelter and counseling services available within our catchment area, Casa Youth Shelter's shelter program is unique in that we are the only youth-specific emergency shelter in the vicinity. Without Casa Youth Shelter, youth in Long Beach and south L.A. County would need to travel to the next physically closest shelter in Culver City, over twenty miles away. For decades, Casa Youth Shelter has served as a source of shelter, safety and support for youth in crisis and Long Beach continues to be one of our top three referring cities. Moreover, almost half of the youth and families who utilize our non-residential counseling and case management services come from Long Beach.

Casa Youth Shelter is proud that we have never once closed our doors in our 46-year history and continue to be a vital resource of emergency shelter and support for youth in crisis thanks to the support of change-makers like you. We have answered every call from youth 24/7 - even through the challenges of the pandemic - in over 50 cities in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and other counties in Southern California.

We are so much more than a shelter.

Residents receive a variety of wrap-around supportive services including individual, group, and family counseling in addition to crisis counseling; life-skills classes, academic tutoring, onsite and offsite recreation, music therapy, pet therapy, and case management services to assist youth and their families with housing, food, employment, and educational needs, all at no cost to the youth or their families.

Once transitioned out of our shelter, youth and their families receive regular aftercare counseling and case management services, for at least three months, and up to one year post-exit. Where family reunification is safe, the goal is to support the family in the reunification process and help the family build efficacy and confidence, while gradually establishing more independence. We provide families with public transportation vouchers (bus passes, Uber, Lyft) to increase accessibility for families who want to participate in family and aftercare services but cannot get here. 

Casa Youth Shelter also provides regular community outreach, youth leadership programs, and non-residential counseling reaching youth and families outside of our shelter program, focusing on awareness and prevention with the goal of addressing the needs of youth and their families before our shelter services become necessary. 

Casa Youth Shelter changes lives.

Annually, we provide approximately 180 youth with full shelter amenities, 800 hours of individual counseling, 500 hours of family counseling, 5,000 hours of group counseling and education, and community outreach, leadership programs, and non-residential counseling reaching 2,200+ youth and families outside of our residential program.

Testimonials

The youth we serve come to us from a place of crisis - it's our job to ensure they come out of that crisis knowing that they aren't alone. Their voices reflect the impact of Casa Youth Shelter's work:

"Thank you for asking if I was hungry last night. It made me feel welcome."

"I feel as if Casa gave me perspective as to what a real home and family are like. I feel more loved and cared for here than I have anywhere."

"Each and every staff member helped to create such a nurturing and wonderful environment."

"I'm glad I didn't give up on myself. No matter how tough times got."

"I like the comfort here. As soon as you walk-in it feels welcoming."

"Thank you for helping me see the bigger picture."

"Thank you for making me feel safe here."