CEDARS Street Outreach Program Receives Prestigious Award

CEDARS Street Outreach Program has been honored with the 2023 Nebraska Homeless Shelter Assistance Trust Fund Award in the Lincoln Continuum of Care category. This award is given to a program or project that utilizes the Nebraska Homeless Shelter Assistance Trust Fund to address the needs of people experiencing or at risk of homelessness by providing safe, decent, and affordable housing.  

CEDARS Street Outreach was selected to receive the award for going above and beyond in its delivery of housing and support services to address the challenging problem of youth homelessness. Specifically, the award recognizes the program’s implementation of innovative and cost-effective approaches that are having a demonstrably positive impact on youth and young adults within our community. 

“There is a critical need in our community to provide street-based outreach to the hundreds of kids who are experiencing homelessness each day. Our team works with youth to create a safety plan, connect them to resources, and ultimately create some stability in their young lives,” shared CEDARS President Jim Blue. “The work our Street Outreach team has accomplished is truly incredible, and it was great to see them be recognized for their leadership and dedication to the youth in our community.” 

CEDARS Street Outreach Program conducts outreach and engages homeless and runaway youth to seek formal assistance in creating safer, more stable living situations and to address the issue(s) that led to their homelessness. Street Outreach staff connect with vulnerable youth in places they typically gather and conduct outreach to raise community awareness. Last year, CEDARS made 7,193 street outreach contacts and provided intensive services to 283 youth and young adults in Lincoln. Nearly all (97%) of these service recipients gained safe, stable housing upon their exit from the program.