Kai’s story: Finding safety when he had nowhere else to go
I want to share with you a story that moved me deeply, and that is why I’m writing to you today.
Kai came to Omaha, expecting to stay with his father. At the last minute, everything changed. His plans dissolved. There was no welcome home. With no place to turn, he made his way to the public library, hoping for some refuge, even if only temporarily.
A librarian overheard him telling another teen his situation. Recognizing this was more than a moment of distress, the librarian called Youth Emergency Services’ Safe Place line.
Within hours, YES staff arrived. They brought Kai to the Street Outreach Center, where he got a meal, a shower, and basic supplies. Then, he was taken into YES’ Emergency Shelter, given his own bed, his own room, and, more importantly, a caring team to walk him through the upheaval he was facing.
Kai put it simply: “I get food, a roof over my head, and a supportive team to help me out.”
Why this matters, and why I’m reaching out to you.
There are more Kai’s out there than we often realize. A sudden change in a family’s plan, or a door that closes. Those are moments when a young person is at risk of being left with nowhere safe to go.
YES’ Safe Place and Emergency Shelter programs are lifelines. They are the difference between an unthinkable night on the streets and having someone to show up, to listen, to protect, to stabilize. But these services don’t happen by accident. They require steadfast support, financial resources, and people like you stepping in.
When you give, you do more than provide a bed or a meal:
You restore dignity.
You give breathing room in a moment of chaos.
You signal to a young person: you matter, your safety matters, your future matters.
Would you consider making a gift of $20, $50, $100, $500, or whatever you can afford to YES’ Safe Place / Emergency Shelter program?
Your donation can:
Provide meals, hygiene supplies, and bedding for a young person
Help pay staff who respond within hours to help youth in crisis
Support the case management, counseling, and wraparound services that help youth like Kai reclaim stability
If 10 people give $100 today, we can guarantee 45 overnight stays for youth in crisis next month. My personal goal is to help raise $5,000 for YES through this campaign — every gift brings us closer to ensuring more young people have a safe place to turn.
You can make a gift online here or by mailing a check to Youth Emergency Services, 2566 Farnam Street, Suite 301, Omaha, NE 68131. Please be sure to note “Josefina Loza’s Fundraiser” in the memo line.
I believe deeply that every young person, no matter their past, their mistakes, or the storms they face, deserves a safe place to land. When we give, we become part of the story of rescue and redemption.
Thank you for considering this urgent request. I hope you will join me in saying “yes” to youth in crisis.
With gratitude and hope,
Josefina Loza
P.S. If you’d like me to meet with you to share more about this program, or bring you on a tour of YES, I’d be honored. Together, we can show even more youth that help is just a call (or knock) away.