Lost-n-Found Non-Profit Grows in 2019
Lost-n-Found Youth (LNFY), an Atlantabased non-profit existing to end homelessness among LGBTQ youth, is celebrating their eighth anniversary with a new look, new leadership, and a new home.
Over the last year, LNFY’s staff and board has been working to ensure the non-profit continues to efficiently and effectively meet the needs of its clients and the community it serves. Not only will LNFY introduce a new logo and mission, but it will be moving into a new youth drop-in center and expanding to add additional beds and housing for the youth transitioning out of crisis under the helm of the newly-announced co-directors Nasheedah Bynes-Muhammad and Ernest Walker.
The new youth center comes from a partnership between LNFY and Park Ave Baptist Church in Grant Psrk, whose second floor LNFY will occupy. This location offers more space for programs and services, convenient access to public transit, and greenspace, and just one floor above, through a partnership with fellow non-profit Lydia’s House, LNFY will house 12 more beds for emergency and transitional housing – moving their grand total from 6 to 18.
“Our partnership with Park Ave Baptist Church could not have come at a more critical time,” Walker said in a press release. “Our youth are thriving in our programs – finding jobs, accessing healthcare, and regaining their self-esteem – but having access to additional housing will dramatically increase our ability to effect change in their lives. Being able to offer our clients a hot meal, a shower, and now a warm bed, all under one roof, will be a game changer.”
“This partnership is a major step forward for our organization, and we’re grateful to Park Avenue’s leadership for believing in our mission,” added Bynes-Muhammad. “We’re also thrilled to be in a community that is welcoming and supportive of the advancement of our work. We can go much further together than we can doing this work alone. There are many brilliant, passionate, hardworking people living under bridges and in tents in Atlanta, and we can’t tap into the full resources of our community until everyone has their basic needs met.”
LNFY will also celebrate their anniversary with a full month of events and festivities, including a Sunday Funday Pop-Up Brunch at Henry’s Midtown on Nov. 10 –where LNFY will unveil its new mission, vision, and brand identity – a community open house at its new youth drop-in center from Nov. 17 to 24, and a community Thanksgiving dinner on Nov. 28. For more information and a full list of anniversary events, visit lnfy.org.