Millions of young people face homelessness nationwide, including in NC: How to help

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- As communities across the country recognize Youth HOPE Month in November, advocates are drawing attention to what they describe as an often-unseen crisis affecting millions of young people, including in North Carolina.

An estimated 4.2 million young people between the ages of 13 and 25 experience homelessness in the United States every year, according to the National Runaway Safeline. Many are leaving unsafe homes, couch surfing, or struggling to meet basic needs.

Amanda Whitlock, the CEO of the National Runaway Safeline, said November is a critical opportunity to ensure those young people feel seen and not forgotten.

"It allows us all to elevate the youth experience, to elevate the resources and services available to help youth and ensure that everyone knows how they can help a youth in their community that might be in need," Whitlock said.

SEE ALSO: Wake County students facing homelessness up 88% since 2014, state data shows

'An invisible problem'

Whitlock said youth homelessness is often misunderstood because many young people aren't sleeping on the streets -- they are staying with friends, bouncing between home or living in unstable environments.

"Youth homelessness can be an invisible problem," she said. "There could be a youth in your kids' school, your kids' network, in your community that is couch surfing, that is unstable. Youth homelessness just isn't the kid on the park bench."

She added that many young people the organization assists "have never had a bed of their own."

North Carolina callers show emerging trends

According to Whitlock, the most common callers statewide are 16- and 17-year-olds. In the Raleigh-Durham area, the majority of callers are young adults aged 22 and older -- a growing group struggling to transition to independence.

SEE ALSO: Manolo's Bakery in Charlotte pays it forward with celebration for un-housed community

Family conflict is by far the top issue reported by teens and young adults in North Carolina. Whitlock said about 26 to 27% of callers report household dynamics that make them feel unsafe or unwelcome.

Another 15 percent call because of financial strain at home.

"They are one paycheck or one resource away from them being told, 'you got to go'," Whitlock said.

Local resources and how to find help

National Runaway Safeline maintains a database of more than 6,000 resources nationwide. In North Carolina, there are 125 resources listed, including 25 in the Raleigh-Durham area.

"We want to make sure that everybody has access to the same resources we do to ensure that no youth is on the streets or is in an unsafe situation," Whitlock said.

Families, caregivers or young people can search for help themselves by heading to the Runaway Safeline resource database.

Whitlock said 30% of the youth who contact the hotline are calling from home, a sign that early intervention can keep a child or teen from ending up on the streets.

"There's a real opportunity to prevent kids needing to run away, couch surf and hit the streets," she said. "We don't always have a magic answer, but we're here to listen."

The National Runaway Safeline also operates Home Free, a long-running partnership with Greyhound that helps reunite young people with family members when it's safe to do so.

Whitlock encouraged people to learn about local organizations, including Haven House in Raleigh, The Relatives in Charlotte and Youth Focus in Greensboro.

"Just because a kid's going to school or going to an after-school activity, that doesn't mean they have a safe bed of their own to return to," she said.

During Youth HOPE Month, the organization is asking people to help raise awareness by wearing green, lighting landmarks green and sharing information on social media.

"This is a national campaign to raise awareness for youth homeless," Whitlock said. "Use your own social media to just really increase awareness so that every youth that may feel invisible knows that they're seen and there's resources and help available."

There are five ways to contact the NRS. You can call or text 1-800-RUNAWAY, you can email them, you can chat with them online, or you can participate in an online forum. To reach out the NRS, click here.