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JASMYN expanding its services for LGBTQ youth

JASMYN announced Sunday the addition of a third building to its downtown campus for young people experiencing homelessness.

A nonprofit organization providing support for the LGBTQ community in Jacksonville is expanding its resources.

JASMYN announced Sunday the addition of a third building to its downtown campus for young people experiencing homelessness.

“When they're homeless they can’t hold down jobs. It’s really hard to have a job. It’s really hard to get back into school, take care of your health or a lot of issues,” Cindy Watson, executive director, said.  Watson said 200 of the 600 young people JASMYN that helped last year were homeless.

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“When we’ve studied the youth population who is homeless in Jacksonville, we know that about 60 percent of them are LGBTQ young people,” she said.

Watson said they can be homeless for a number of reasons, including “rejection from families, neighborhoods, schools.”

Youth will engage in clinical, mental health and youth development programs that have already been expanded on the JASMYN campus. “Having housing is the ticket a lot of other stability and to a lot of other opportunities for  them to grow and emerge as adults,” Watson said. JASMYN also announced a new partnership with Youth Crisis Center and Changing Homelessness. The plan is to have the new building open at the end of the year.

The building was a gift from Dr. Paul Schilling and Dr. James Dutton of Vilano Beach, devoted JASMYN supporters who also purchased and donated JASMYN’s second building four years ago.

JASMYN is a nonprofit, youth-centric organization providing support, leadership development, risk reduction, social opportunities and advocacy for LGBT and questioning youth in Northeast Florida. Over 20,000 young people have benefited from JASMYN since its establishment in 1994.

An amazing day at JASMYN! This afternoon, during our 3rd Annual Campus Homecoming Brunch & Celebration, we announced the...

Posted by JASMYN on Sunday, February 26, 2017