We walk the streets of Downtown San Francisco to reach individuals experiencing homelessness on their own turf, handing out basic necessities like food, socks, and hygiene supplies, and slowly building counseling relationships with them. We also meet with clients 1-to-1. We listen to clients talk about anything they want, with no agenda and no judgment. Over time, we help clients identify goals, figure out who they want to be, and how to become that person. When our clients want resources such as jobs, housing, education, health care, and mental health services, we partner with other organizations to meet their needs.
ATC counseling clients who achieve one or more of their goals, including finding stable housing, addressing substance use issues, improving physical health, or finding employment:
90%
In the past decade, San Francisco has prioritized developing new housing for homeless youth and young adults, which has been an important step forward. However, these options are not currently meeting the needs of the most disconnected youth, particularly those with behavioral or mental health challenges. A large number of our clients are not a fit for this housing – they are either not getting in, or they are not having successful experiences. We want to make sure that the most disconnected people have a voice in the current efforts to address the needs of San Francisco’s homeless population. We advocate for the improvement of existing services and the creation of new ones to ensure that our clients are able to meet their needs in the most effective, culturally competent ways possible.
ATC was founded in 1997 when Rob Gitin and Taj Mustapha were awarded Echoing Green Fellowships to create a program for underserved homeless youth in San Francisco. They spent months exploring different neighborhoods in the city, talking with young people on the streets about the kind of support they wanted and needed. Based on these conversations, Rob and Taj designed a program to bring services directly to the streets.
Since then, ATC has grown significantly, and has worked with over 8,000 people experiencing homelessness across San Francisco . Our services have expanded and evolved over the years, but they have always been centered around the needs of each individual client.
