Support a Youth Transitional Support Program for young adults ages 18–24 
THE PROBLEM 
Turning 18 does not automatically mean someone is ready to face adulthood alone. 
Young adults ages 18–24 experiencing homelessness or housing instability in Paris and Lamar County may be trying to find a job, continue their education, access health care, and become independent while also worrying about where they will sleep or how they will get where they need to go. 
Homelessness isn't always visible. A young adult may be living in a vehicle, moving between temporary living arrangements, leaving an unsafe home, transitioning from foster care, or trying to parent without stable housing. 
And the problem exists here. The 2024 Point-in-Time Count identified 62 people experiencing homelessness across Lamar, Titus, and Red River Counties, including two young adults ages 18–24. A Point-in-Time count represents homelessness identified at a particular point in time and does not tell us how many young adults may experience homelessness or housing instability throughout the entire year.  
WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR 
We are asking our community to support the development of a Youth Transitional Support Program for young adults ages 18–24 in Paris and Lamar County. 
The idea is simple: 
Housing. Support. Transportation. 
We don't need one organization to do everything. We need to connect the resources our community already has, identify what's missing, and create a clearer pathway toward stability and independence. 
 
1 | CASE MANAGEMENT + MENTORSHIP 
The Plan: Connect each young adult with a consistent case manager or mentor who can help identify individual needs and navigate housing, benefits, employment, education, health care, and other resources. 
Community Partners: Potential partnerships could include CitySquare Paris, CASA for KIDS, Workforce Solutions Northeast Texas, Paris Junior College, Paris Wesley Center, United Way of Lamar County, churches, behavioral health providers, and other community organizations. 
Why It Matters: Young adults experiencing homelessness have unique needs that may require services tailored to this stage of life. Research supports individualized and flexible approaches, including case management and other supportive interventions.  
 
2 | SAFE, TRANSITIONAL HOUSING 
The Plan: Start small. Explore safe, flexible options such as screened host homes, short-term rental assistance, and partnerships with existing housing resources. Former foster youth and pregnant or parenting young adults experiencing housing instability would be among the vulnerable populations considered for support. 
Community Partners: Local nonprofits, churches, property owners, housing programs, and screened community members could help create temporary options while participants work toward permanent housing and independence. 
Funding: Instead of immediately building another shelter, a pilot program could explore youth homelessness funding, community grants, churches, private foundations, and Chafee/PAL resources for eligible former foster youth. 
Why It Matters: Starting small gives our community the opportunity to evaluate funding, sustainability, partnerships, and outcomes before expanding. Research by Wang et al. (2019) found that housing programs can improve housing stability for young people experiencing homelessness and emphasized that youth interventions should be tailored and flexible to individual circumstances.  
 
3 | TRANSPORTATION 
The Plan: Help participants access transportation to work, school, medical and mental health appointments, housing appointments, government offices, and other essential services through existing community resources and partnerships. As the program develops, a small transportation pilot could be explored using one program vehicle. Eligible participants who meet all licensing, screening, insurance, and training requirements could be hired part-time as drivers. This would reduce transportation barriers and create paid employment and skill-building opportunities, supporting greater independence. 
Why It Matters: A resource isn't truly accessible if you have no way to get there. 
Transportation connects the rest of the plan. Housing assistance, employment opportunities, education, health care, and supportive services have limited value when a young adult cannot reliably reach them. 
 
WHY THIS MATTERS 
This is about more than housing. It is about social justice, access, and opportunity. 
Young people do not begin adulthood with equal resources. Some have family members who can provide a bedroom, transportation, financial assistance, advice, and a safety net when something goes wrong. Others do not. 
Research on youth homelessness emphasizes equity and recognizes that young people have different pathways into homelessness and different needs once they experience it. That supports a program built around the individual rather than expecting every young adult to follow the same path.  
A coordinated Youth Transitional Support Program would not guarantee anyone's success. It would help make sure that a lack of housing, transportation, or knowledge of available resources does not automatically become a barrier to having the opportunity to succeed. 
YOUR SIGNATURE CAN HELP 
By signing this petition, you are showing local organizations, community leaders, churches, businesses, and residents that there is community support to explore, develop, and pilot a Youth Transitional Support Program for young adults ages 18–24 in Paris and Lamar County. 
We're not asking one organization to solve youth homelessness. 
We're asking our community to connect what we already have, address what we're missing, and stop letting young adults fall through the gaps between the two. 
A safe place can provide stability. 
A mentor can provide direction. 
Transportation can provide access. 
A community working together can provide opportunity. 
Turning 18 shouldn't mean facing adulthood alone. 
Sign this petition and help give young adults in Paris and Lamar County not a guarantee of success—but a real opportunity to reach it.