"It’s been such a gift to be able to come in and have so many conversations with kids. They’re smart and they have dreams and they have ambitions and I think I would really encourage people to come to tour the shelter to get to know these kids a little bit.”
“Working with the kids at Sisu is so cool because they’re so fun, and they’re just like every day normal teenagers. And allowing a space in a time where they can feel comfortable and feel really… vulnerable is so special and so important when they might not otherwise have that opportunity.”
N’s only been playing guitar for about six months. They taught themself using YouTube videos and a guitar their brother left lying around. “I think it’s a really useful and helpful tool, because it’s a good release, and it also can broaden my resources and the opportunities I have.”
“My experiences allow me to show up with a passion and a fire for this work.”
“Here at Sisu, being an affirng space where we see youth of color, we see queer youth, youth of various backgrounds come together - we want to make sure that this is a space for them where all of those identities are celebrated and seen, and they can flourish.”
“I feel like a different person after being at Sisu, and everybody there had an impact on me.”
Look back at ten years of Sisu with interviews from our Founder, Penny Reynolds, former Executive Director, Jamie Caves, current Executive Director, Rachel Bradley, and former client, Jay!
“Sisu is meaningful… The interactions with clients; the interactions with staff are meaningful. If you are looking for some way to be of service, come to Sisu.”
“Housing is a place to be safe. To us, that seems kind of like a no-brainer, but to someone who has been in survival mode their whole lives, that’s completely life-changing.”
“When I was looking for opportunities to volunteer, Sisu’s mission to house and support ALL young people really spoke to me.”
“Sisu does a really good job of making sure that youth feel connected and that youth feel a part of.”
“Having the ability to be safe and deal with housing first, before having to deal with all these other issues in their life, is just so important.”
“I think that’s what Sisu creates; the ability for youth to dream about their lives.”
“It’s amazing that it’s a place for these kids to belong and feel like they have community and like they have support.”
“Because of this program, I have the opportunity to thrive in life.”
“My goals for the future are to graduate high school and to go to school for nursing.”
“I saw a change in my mental health. It got a lot better than what it was when I was homeless.”
“Nobody deserves to be sleeping on concrete steps and worrying where their next meal is going to come from.”
