In the winter of 2003, during my social work studies at UCLA, I spent a half day on Skid Row learning about homelessness. I stood on the corner of 6th and San Julian and made a quiet commitment to myself: that for as long as I lived in Los Angeles, I would dedicate my social work practice to this issue and to the people impacted by its devastation. That moment is etched in my heart forever.

I never imagined that “for as long as I lived in Los Angeles” would become nearly 27 years. It became that way because I fell in love with My Friend’s Place's mission. Truthfully, I didn’t fall in love; I rose in it. To walk alongside young people experiencing homelessness—to witness their resilience, brilliance, humor, creativity, and truth—has been the greatest privilege of my life. I am better, fuller, and more connected to my own humanity because of them.

Which is why it is so bittersweet to share that I will be transitioning from My Friend’s Place at the end of this month. This transition is rooted in a desire to return home to Minnesota and be closer to my family and lifelong friends.

There’s no version of this moment that isn’t emotional for me. But here’s what I know to be true:

My Friend’s Place will always remain part of me, just as it becomes part of every young person who walks through its doors. That is the power of belonging—it stays with you.

Ending youth homelessness takes a community—people who show up, who believe, who invest, who refuse to look away. And that’s what we’ve built together. A community that wraps around young people and says: You matter. You belong. We’ve got you.

For me, this moment isn’t an ending. It’s an invitation.

An invitation for you too to find yourself more deeply engaged in this mission. Maybe that means making your first gift. Maybe it means giving more generously than you have before. Maybe it’s volunteering your time, using your voice, or helping others understand why this work matters so urgently.

However you show up, know this: you are part of what makes My Friend’s Place work.

As I prepare for this next chapter, my hope is simple: that you will carry this work forward. That you, our My Friend’s Place community, will continue building, investing, and believing in what’s possible for the young people. They need you.

Youth homelessness remains one of the most urgent humanitarian crises of our time—rooted in deep racial and economic injustice. And yet, every day, I have seen what’s possible when people choose connection over indifference, action over avoidance, and community over isolation.

And if you’ve ever wondered whether your involvement can make a difference, let me tell you: it can. And it will change you. I know that it changed me.

With deep gratitude and enduring connection,

Erin Casey, LCSW
Director of Programs