Salt Lake County opens new home for homeless young adults
Jun 14, 2024, 6:51 PM | Updated: 6:58 pm
MILLCREEK – Every year, more than 100 youth “age out” of foster care in Utah, putting them at higher risk for homelessness.
The Salt Lake County Youth Services Milestone Transitional Living Program is working to address this issue and opened a new facility Friday to help young adults get on their feet.
“It’s not easy to be a kid anywhere, anyhow today, especially to be 18 years old and facing an unknown future,” Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson said. “The fact that we’re serving so many more young people is truly inspiring.”
Since its start in 2012, the Milestone Program has helped more than 300 young people ages 18-21, and has been able to serve up to 19 adults at a time.
“I stand here today showing you this beautiful facility that’s going to have an additional 18 beds, meaning we’ll be able to serve 37 young adults at a time,” Mina Koplin, section manager for Salt Lake County Youth Services, said.
The eight-unit apartment complex in Millcreek was purchased and renovated with government funds and donations raised by Salt Lake Rotary.
“We were looking for a big project to do in the community, we were looking for a big fundraiser that we could participate in and make a difference, and it’s been so worth it,” said Spencer Ferguson, president-elect of the Salt Lake Rotary Club.
Each unit has three bedrooms and two bathrooms. Participants in the program pay monthly fees as a way to learn how to budget. At the end of the program, those funds are returned to them.
And it’s not only housing. The Milestone program also provides counseling services, case management, and life skills groups. Koplin said the program has seen an 83% success rate, meaning 83% of the young adults who exited the program found housing and were in school or employed.
“Milestone helped me to my path of success,” Cameron Thompson, the house manager of the new Milestone location, said.
Thompson said he lost his housing when he was a senior in high school. Thanks to the Milestone program, he was able to receive his diploma.
“I don’t see kids that can’t. I don’t see kids that could. I see kids that can,” Thompson said.
Koplin said they have young adults who will be moving into this new building as soon as next week.
