A new resource is opening in North County for young women experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity.
The transitional living program at Casa de Amparo's main campus in San Marcos is funded through a three-year grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services at $350,000 per year.
The program features three two-bedroom units and one studio unit that can house up to seven young women. The units are fully furnished, and each woman will have her own bedroom. Casa de Amparo program manager Vanessa Villarreal said that’s a fundamental component of the program.
“Safe housing and a structured living environment. That is at the forefront of what we're doing here," she said. "Some of these young women might be fleeing from domestic violence situations. Right. So, (we give them) a place to stay, and then they can focus on all their other needs.”
Participants can stay in the program for up to 18 months, and in extenuating circumstances can stay for 21 months.
"We're going to be providing them with therapy, wraparound services,” Casa de Amparo CEO Kathy Karpé said.
She said some of the young women were homeless or housing insecure and hadn’t been taking care of themselves.
“It's a way that they can get additional support. So, you know, ‘Have you been to the doctor recently? Let's go and have you get a physical. Let's make an appointment for you,'" Karpé said. "They'll walk them across campus, introduce them to the TrueCare clinic so that they feel comfortable.”
Other services include vocational training, help with school applications, and assistance with finding a permanent place to live. The program is for women between 18 and 21 years old who are either homeless, don’t have a safe place to stay, have been kicked out of their home or are at risk of being homeless.
Karpé said the program specifically caters to young women, offering them a safe place to heal.
“What we noticed when we decided to just have young women on our campus, is that they actually empowered each other," she said. "They stopped worrying about what the young men were thinking or doing, and they started to really focus on each other and the healing that they give to one another.”
Villarreal said two young women are expected to move in next week. Casa de Aparo expects all the slots to be filled, as there’s a growing need in the region.
To learn more about the program, visit casadeamparo.org.
