Twelve young adults who have been sleeping in the street, in their cars or on the couches of friends and relatives are about to move into a new dorm near downtown Orlando.
Zebra Youth, which provides housing to LGBTQ+ youth and young adults, now has 45 people waiting for housing at its existing shelter, a five-bed home in Orlando.
The new dorm, scheduled to open this month, will expand the options for teens and young adults without a place to live. The group also has money to pay for six rooms in extended-stay hotels. Combined, Zebra Youth will soon be able to house 23 people.
“We try to prioritize those who have the most need,” said Heather Wilkie, executive director of Zebra Youth, which has operated in Orlando for more than 18 years. “If they are physically on the streets, and they don’t have anywhere to sleep, that would be a priority.”
LGBTQ+ youth are 120% more likely to end up homeless compared to other young people, according to the National Coalition for the Homeless.
“They often get kicked out by their families because of how they identify,” said Bobby Hermida, a board member for Zebra Youth, who credits the organization with giving him shelter and counseling to help kick a drug addiction.