Lost-n-Found Youth

Lost-n-Found Youth is an Atlanta nonprofit working to end homelessness for LGBTQ+ youth by giving them the skills and support to live independently. It began in November 2011, when local activists who had been turned away while trying to place queer youth in shelters gathered to create a privately funded emergency shelter.

Youth ages 18 to 25 can reach support around the clock, every day of the year. The Youth Center is a drop-in space open Monday through Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM and Sunday from 10 AM to 3 PM, with meals, showers, laundry, hygiene supplies, blankets and emergency clothing from the thrift store. Services include emergency and transitional housing, mental health evaluations and counseling, referrals for HIV and STD testing, health and dental care, help replacing lost birth certificates and driver's licenses, GED and education referrals, and resume writing and interview training.

Volunteers run street outreach to find and connect with youth living outdoors, and the Lost-n-Found Thrift Store, open seven days a week, turns donated clothing, furniture and household goods into funding for outreach, the youth center and housing while helping young people build job readiness.

Youth can call the support line at (678) 856-7824 ext. 201. Volunteers attend a virtual orientation on Wednesdays at 6 PM, and supporters can donate goods at the thrift store or give online.