To Be Young, Woman and Homeless

For alumni Omaly and Leora, coming to Covenant House was a matter of life or death. They arrived at different shelters, on opposite sides of the country. But what they had in common was that they were both young, female, and homeless.

To be young, female (or female-identifying), and homeless means carrying more than the weight of losing a home. It means navigating systems that fail you while facing the added risks that come with being a woman such as gender-based violence, social stigma and isolation, and the weight of caring for children. Omaly and Leora each sought refuge at Covenant House after experiencing sexual and domestic violence that nearly took their lives.

“I didn’t see the danger. I didn’t even have language for what was happening. I thought I was just doing what I had to do to survive,” Omaly said, recalling her experience of sexual exploitation.

“I almost literally died,” Leora said, describing the night she escaped.

During Women's History Month, Covenant House honors the resilience of young women overcoming homelessness, and we strive to help them remove obstacles from their path, so they can reclaim their strength and move forward in their journeys.   

Young people facing homelessness are especially vulnerable to human traffickers, and globally, women and girls account for 61% of known trafficking survivors, according to the United Nations. In the U.S., 7 in 10 trafficking victims are women and girls.

How Covenant House Is Responding to the Unique Needs of Women Facing Homelessness

Many young women seeking refuge at Covenant House shelters across the five countries where we work are fleeing violence. In the U.S. and Canada, 1 in 5 youth of our residents are survivors of human trafficking; at our houses in Latin America, 1 in 2 are trafficking survivors. These survivors are seeking more than just a roof over their heads and a meal. They are seeking safety from predators and support to overcome trauma.

Finding resources to overcome homelessness, such as food, shelter, job readiness programs, childcare, and health resources can be overwhelming. Some must navigate this while pregnant or raising a child, which adds another layer of responsibility and complexity. But at Covenant House, we ensure that each woman who walks into our shelters is met with unconditional love, and absolute respect.

Our wraparound services include free healthcare for mother and baby, childcare while a young mother looks for a job, builds career skills, or continues her education; and mental health services to help women in our care work through traumas such as domestic and sexual violence, which may have led them to Covenant House. We understand that overcoming homelessness is about being well mentally, emotionally, and physically.

Supporters of Covenant recognize the unique challenges that women face and want to do their part, big or small, to create change.

“For 40 years, Covenant House has been my number one charity,” says Mary, a longtime donor. “I first learned about Covenant House when I was attending an all-girls Catholic high school. Even as a teenager, I gave what I could by donating a little money.”

Mary continued to support Covenant House through college, through marriage, and now into retirement. She has even included Covenant House in her will.

“Women who experience homelessness are more compromised. Everything makes a difference — big or small,” Mary says. “Each donation has the power to change a woman’s life so they can go out and make a difference in the world.”

This Women’s History Month, you can help continue the impact that lifelong donors like Mary have started. Donate now to support women rebuilding their lives.