Valley Youth House hosted our first #CouchesDontCount pop-up event in the Lehigh Valley on April 17th to raise awareness for youth that are “couch surfing”or staying with friends or acquaintances rather than sleeping unsheltered. #CouchesDontCount is an advocacy campaign to raise awareness for the disproportionate rate of young people experiencing homelessness that are “couch surfing.” Some studies have suggested as high as 64% of youth experiencing homelessness are couch surfing as means of shelter. Volunteers were at the last Phantom’s game of the season in order to promote the cause.

The event also promoted the upcoming Lehigh Valley Youth Count, hosted May 16-20th by the Lehigh Valley Regional Homeless Advisory Board. This count will survey youth ages 16-24 who are experiencing homelessness or housing instability in the Lehigh Valley in order to determine needs and identify gaps in order to properly allocate resources. Training, coordination, and support for the Youth Count will be provided by the Synergy Project, Valley Youth House’s street outreach program.