Agency Details:

ROOTS Young Adult Shelter (RYAS)

ROOTS Young Adult Shelter provides safe, emergency, overnight shelter to young adults (ages 18-25) in Seattle's University District that are homeless. Our vision is that one day shelter will no longer be necessary because each young person will have a safe home. Until that happens, we will continue to open our doors.

Description:
ROOTS Young Adult Shelter (RYAS) provides safe, overnight, emergency shelter to young adults in Seattle's University District that are homeless. The shelter provides a safe, warm place to sleep, an evening and morning meal, referrals to longer-term services, and volunteers who will listen without judging. We are a volunteer based organization with limited staff to coordinate and manage the program.

ROOTS also hosts the weekly Friday Feast meal program, which has been in continuous operation since 1999. Friday Feast provides a restaurant-quality meal every Friday at 6PM to between 150 and 200 homeless and low-income individuals of all ages. Real Change has called Friday Feast "The best of all soup kitchen meals."

History:
In the 1980's University Youth Shelter became an inspiring example of the power of community. People from University District congregations, students, parents, and others refused to close their eyes to the tragic reality of youth homelessness, and created an ad-hoc shelter, using all volunteers and five different church-site hosts. As volunteers got to know the young people from the streets, it became clear that UYS was offering more than a safe place to sleep. Youth were also finding security and the type of caring relationships that are so essential to human development. ROOTS,a city funded program merged with University Youth Shelter, eventually growing to seven nights a week of shelter for 18-25 year olds. We are proud to have kept our volunteer-based style. We also have added 5 nights a week of on-site case management, showers, laundry, and natural health care.

For more information on ROOTS (Rising Out Of The Shadows) please visit www.rootsinfo.org

Contact people:

Volunteer Inquiries, (phone), (email) Kristine Cunningham, Program Director, (phone), (email)

Main office number: (206) 632-1635
Office fax number: (206) 632-5165

Address:

1415 NE 43rd Street Seattle, WA 98105 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.rootsinfo.org

Directions:

Please call or email for specific directions.   Nearest Bus Stop: 15th Ave. NE & NE 43rd St. -- 25, 43, 44, 45, 48, 49, 70, 133, 167, 197, 205, 271, 272, 277; University Ave. & NE 43rd St. -- 71, 72, 73, 74, 373

Miscellaneous Information

Liability
	No
Does your organization welcome court-ordered community service volunteers?
	Yes
Does your organization have volunteer positions for youth 12-18?
	Yes

Last updated on October 2, 2009