Joshua Home:
Who We Are & What We Do
Joshua Home is a safe haven that provides personalized programs for at-risk LGBTQ+ youth aged 12 to 24 who may be homeless, in foster or group homes, or in the foster care or juvenile justice systems. Our goal is to foster positive self-awareness, academic development, independent living skills, sustainability, and conflict resolution for each individual youth in a safe, stable, empowering, and loving home environment.
Mission
The mission of Joshua Home is to provide a safe haven for LGBTQ+ youth who are experiencing homelessness in the Inland Empire. We are dedicated to ending youth homelessness by creating permanent gender-inclusive housing solutions, supportive services, and programs that support youth and educate and counsel families.
Vision
The vision of Joshua Home is a world where all LGBTQ+ youth have a safe and supportive place to call home, where they can thrive and grow into healthy and successful adults. Joshua Home believes that every young person deserves a safe and stable home, and that no one should be forced to choose between their identity and their safety.
Joshua Home
Get to Know Us
Joshua Home: An LGBTQ Safe Haven is leading the way in advocating for residential care for LGBTQ+ youth who are caught in systems that leave them unaccompanied, homeless, or navigating the streets in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. Many of these young people have been isolated by their families and communities, and experienced various forms of abuse and discrimination. Unfortunately, the majority of youth shelters in Southern California are ill-equipped to handle the specific challenges that LGBTQ+ youth face when they are homeless and alone. Currently there are no permanent homes in the Inland Empire or surrounding areas that are designed to cater to the unique needs of these vulnerable young people either.
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Our mission at Joshua Home is to ensure that every LGBTQ+ youth has a place to call home, where they can receive the acceptance, guidance, and love they need to embrace and love themselves.
We're dedicated to creating a safe and supportive environment that fosters acceptance, empowerment, stability, and inspiration. Our staff and partners help to advocate for permanent gender-inclusive housing solutions and provide supportive services and programs that are designed to help LGBTQ+ youth thrive.
Why It Matters
According to a 2020 report by the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law, an estimated 30% of the homeless youth population in California identifies as LGBTQ+. This represents a significantly higher percentage than the general youth population, where LGBTQ+ youth make up an estimated 7% of the population.
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The report also found that LGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness in California face unique challenges, including higher rates of victimization, mental health issues, and barriers to accessing supportive services. Additionally, Black and Latinx LGBTQ+ youth are overrepresented in the homeless youth population, highlighting the intersectionality of homelessness and systemic inequality.
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That is why at Joshua Home, we're committed to creating a safe and supportive environment with resources that empowers these young people and helps them build a brighter future.
Meet the Team
Annette Patterson
Executive Director
Nicolas Daily
President
Jewel Patterson
Secretary