According to the most recent Los Angeles Homeless Service Authority (LAHSA) homeless count, there are nearly 6,000 young homeless people on the streets of Los Angeles every year.

• This past year, My Friend’s Place served more than 1,400 individual youth through nearly 20,000 visits to our Hollywood facility.
• MFP’s clients are 66% male and 33% female.
• Ethnically, the youth we serve are 35% African American, 26% Caucasian, 21% Latino, 2% Asian/Pacific Islander, 8% mixed ethnicity, and 8% other.
• LGBTQ youth make up a disproportionate segment of young people living on the streets in LA; a recent study found that 36% identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered or unsure of their sexual orientation.

A recent needs assessment conducted in conjunction with Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, and with support from The California Endowment, revealed that the youth who access services at My Friend’s Place exhibit significantly higher rates of substance abuse, past trauma, and mental health challenges than youth accessing services at other agencies: