Juneau and Anchorage youth shelters get $650,000 in federal grants for runaway and homeless youth

Two Alaska shelters for young people who have run away or have nowhere to live are getting a combined $650,000 in new federal grants.

The City and Borough of Juneau will receive $300,000 for the Shéiyi X̱aat Hít Youth Shelter, which the city describes as Juneau's only emergency shelter for youth open around the clock. The money pays for temporary shelter and crisis help for runaway and homeless youth in Juneau and nearby Southeast Alaska communities, according to the federal award record.

Covenant House Alaska will receive $350,000 for its shelter program for youth under 18 in Anchorage, according to its award record. The program serves young people who left home without permission, were forced out or are otherwise homeless. It can shelter a young person for up to 21 days and provides food, clothing, counseling and referrals for health care, with the goal of reuniting them with their families or finding another safe place to live.

Both grants come from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families. They begin Wednesday, Sept. 30, and run through September 2029.

The Alaska Department of Health reports that a statewide count in January 2024 found 2,684 people experiencing homelessness, the highest in 13 years. Most, 1,740, were staying in emergency shelters. The department notes that the count happens in January, when fewer people are living outside because of cold-weather shelter rules in Anchorage.