North Las Vegas event seeks donations for homeless youth

Clark County and a local nonprofit are seeking donations for homeless youths on Saturday at a community event.

The event, held by the Clark County Summer Business Institute and the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth, will be at the Pearson Center at 1625 W. Carey Ave. in North Las Vegas from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

The organizations are requesting donations of nonperishable food items, male and female hygiene products, new underwear and socks. Donors will receive a raffle ticket for every item donated.

In addition to raffle prizes, there is expected to be informational booths about youth homelessness, a car wash, snacks and more.

Earlier this year, HUD’s 2018 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress identified Nevada as the state with the highest rate of homelessness among youth and one of 10 states where at least half of those experiencing homelessness were unsheltered.

Last week, Clark County said its January homeless census counted 5,286 people living in shelters and on the streets, down from 6,083 the previous year.

But many homeless youth are couch surfing or in hiding, and the Clark County School District, which counts students as homeless if they have no permanent residence, reported last year that 15,019 students were homeless.

“(This event) is all in the goal of helping jump start the transition of a Vegas youth from homelessness to leading the life of a regular kid,” said Yusuf Khan, an intern for the Clark County Summer Business Institute, a group of high school juniors, seniors and college freshmen learning life skills, financial training and civic engagement.“We want to be a solution in helping our Vegas peers that are in desperate need of help.”