Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth holds 10th summit as young speakers share stories of losing stable housing

What happened

The Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth held its 10th annual summit, drawing more than 100 students, business leaders and advocates, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. The daylong event took place at the Historic Fifth Street School auditorium under the theme "10 years of dreaming big."

According to the nonprofit's CEO, Arash Ghafoori, an estimated 33,000 unaccompanied young people experience homelessness in Nevada each year. Throughout the day, speakers ranging from teens to young adults described their own experiences and the support that helped them.

Young speakers describe their paths

Students who spoke were identified only by their first names to respect their privacy, a spokeswoman said, according to the Review-Journal. Their accounts covered housing loss, hunger and the adults who stepped in to help.

Joseph: from an empty apartment to stable housing

Joseph, now a security guard, recalled his last night of stable housing as a child. In his early teens, he lay on the floor of an empty Las Vegas apartment with his head on his backpack after his mother moved out. "As I lay there that night, I was scared," he said.

Afterward, he stayed at friends' houses, sometimes slept in abandoned buildings and often stayed out all night because he had nowhere to go, the Review-Journal reported. He said mentors he met through the nonprofit helped him secure housing and regain a vision for his future. He now hopes to build a clothing brand that uplifts children.

Pearl and Alexis: teachers, family and career goals

Pearl credited elementary and middle school teachers who believed in her, saying their investment inspired her to pursue a career as a cultural psychologist. Alexis became emotional recalling her little brother asking where their next meal would come from. That memory shaped her goal of becoming a pediatric nurse practitioner who comforts other children.

Alexis said cooking brought her hope during hard times, including periods when she had no kitchen and used campfires. She told the audience that "good food doesn't have to be expensive or come from a fancy restaurant."

Business and city leaders weigh in

A call for private sector funding

Kristin Koca, vice president of corporate communications at Las Vegas Sands Corp., a summit sponsor, opened the event. She urged business leaders to invest in organizations that support homeless youth and called for more private sector funding, the Review-Journal reported.

Koca said hearing from young people who have experienced homelessness is "the biggest highlight of our summits." She said those young leaders have insights and ideas that can help make sure solutions fit the specific hurdles they face.

Mayor Berkley attends

Las Vegas Mayor Shelley Berkley also attended and said she was proud to lead a community committed to giving homeless youth a future. "It's more than having sympathy," Berkley said. She described the work as addressing a known need and preparing the next generation for a better, stronger and healthier life.

A note on the source

The Review-Journal disclosed that it is owned by the Adelson family, including Dr. Miriam Adelson, majority shareholder of Las Vegas Sands Corp., and Las Vegas Sands Chairman and CEO Patrick Dumont. Las Vegas Sands sponsored the summit. Find more coverage of local nonprofits and community groups on our community page.

What to watch next

• Whether business leaders respond to Koca's call for more private sector funding for organizations that support homeless youth.
• How the nonprofit and its partners use ideas from young speakers, which Koca said should shape the solutions put in place.
• The need the summit focused on: an estimated 33,000 unaccompanied young people experiencing homelessness in Nevada each year, according to the nonprofit.