Youth HOPE Month 2024 “Shine A Light” Award Winner
Zepf Center Provides Safe Space to Heal, Learn, and Grow
In Ohio, more than 25,000 youth experience homelessness each day, leaving them vulnerable to violence, human trafficking, and threats to their physical and mental well-being. As the only shelter for runaway and homeless youth in Northwest Ohio, Zepf Center’s Safety Net offers hope, stability, and safety for youth ages 12 to 17.
The Safety Net shelter provides temporary emergency housing and counseling services to eligible youth who have run away, been forced to leave their home, or are homeless. In 2024, Safety Net completed intake appointments for over 300 youth.
Recognizing that not all youth experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness are ready or able to stay at a shelter, Zepf Center also operates a Street Outreach Program (SOP). Through this initiative, trained outreach specialists engage directly with young people living on the streets or couch-surfing. The SOP team hosts a Drop-In Center three times a week where youth can enjoy a hot meal, take a shower, do laundry, and connect with caring adults and peers who can help them navigate their next steps.
“For more than 50 years, Zepf Center has been committed to delivering accessible, person-centered care for individuals and families across Northwest Ohio,” said Deb Flores, CEO of Zepf Center. “We’re incredibly proud of our staff and the meaningful work they do to support runaway and homeless youth. Their compassion, creativity, and dedication make it possible for young people in our community to find safety and hope when they need it most.”
In 2024, Sanzanna Dean, PhD, Director for the Division of Runaway and Homeless Youth with the Family and Youth Services Bureau in the Administration for Children and Families, presented Zepf Center with the Youth HOPE Month “Shine a Light” award. This award honors an organization that utilizes a variety of tactics to: raise awareness of the issues faced by youth experiencing homelessness, educate the public about the role they can play in preventing youth homelessness, promote critical services and resources, and inspire hope for the future.
During the award presentation, Dr. Dean said, “you continually show an unwavering commitment to ensuring that youth are seen, understood, and supported during their most challenging moments. You are instrumental in setting them on a path toward success.
Zepf Center engages their community throughout November through a series of events and activities designed to raise awareness and inspire action. They do it all – hosting educational presentations, organizing a Light the Night Community Walk, securing a proclamation from the Lucas County Commissioners, generating widespread media coverage, participating in Wear Green Day, posting on social media, and engaging their local high school athletes to support Youth HOPE Month.
To learn more about Zepf Center Safety Net, visit https://www.zepfcenter.org/safety-net/.