Temporary Shelter - Children's Services Fund of Jackson County

Children and youth who experience housing instability are not only at-risk physically, but they also experience higher rates of learning disabilities and emotional and behavioral issues than children who have stable housing. The Children’s Services Fund works to alleviate the compounded impact housing instability has on Jackson County’s most vulnerable residents by supporting temporary shelter services.

More Than A Roof Over Their Heads

Accompanied children often find themselves unhoused due to domestic violence or emergencies. Unaccompanied children, generally adolescents, find themselves unhoused when they are asked to leave home or run away to escape neglect, abuse, and violence from their caregivers. In 2021, nearly 13,000 children and youth in Jackson County lacked a fixed, regular, or adequate residence to which they could return each night*.

The CSF deems Temporary Shelter an essential area of service because it helps children break out of cycles of poverty and violence. To this end, we partner with organizations that offer short-term housing and services for children, youth, and families housing instability.

In addition to a safe, dry place to stay, our partner organizations in the Temporary Shelter service area also offer varying educational, case management, and counseling services that specifically address the needs of adults and children who find themselves unhoused. When it comes to children and adolescents, these interventions play an especially crucial role in empowering young individuals to heal from trauma and regain a sense of security. The high-quality care many of our partner organizations offer make it possible for children and youth residents to continue their education, build life skills, and strengthen coping strategies.

When children and youth have access to safe environments, education, and emotional and mental health support, they can continue, or perhaps, for the first time in their lives, begin journeys of healthy development despite the crises that created the need for shelter.

Explore our current partner organizations.

Who We Fund

Investing in Temporary Shelters Services Strengthens Jackson County

Ensuring Healthier Futures

Access to quality temporary shelter preserves the holistic health of kids, reducing future healthcare burdens.

Continuity of Education

Temporary shelter services promote regular school attendance, improving children’s future prospects.

Safer Communities

Housing and supporting youth from unstable homes gives them a chance to be good community members.

"The Children's Services Fund of Jackson County has been an integral partner of Amethyst Place for the past several years. Their support has helped us grow our therapy services for youth tremendously. They are also helping us build capacity to prepare for expansion and serve nearly double the number of children. We are so grateful for the work they do in Jackson County.”

Sarah Knopf-Amelung, Director of Strategy & Growth

"We recognize that, from the outside, it's easy to perceive these children as trapped in cycles of violence and trauma. However, our mission is to interrupt these cycles and positively impact their brain development. By fostering positive relationships with caring adults who offer support and encourage growth while sharing decision-making power, we help children create healthy patterns, set boundaries, and express themselves positively."

Sean Crews, Staff Member, Newhouse Early Learning Center

The CSF difference

As a voter-approved, tax-funded program, the CSF works to elevate and “raise the tide” for everyone working to support kids in Jackson County. Investing in mental health services, our partners, their programs and collaboration for innovation is what’s best for our kids — and our community.

Validating impact

Our rigorous funding process balances the utilization of proven approaches with an opportunity for innovation to ensure impact for Jackson County kids.

Ensuring effectiveness

Our Community Impact Framework aligns partner efforts in a strategic, comprehensive manner to strengthen mental health, reduce abuse & neglect, and increase skills & knowledge for children and youth.

Creating community

Our network of collaborative, innovative prevention specialists, mental health professionals, and area leaders work together to improve outcomes for children and families, uplift the community, and build stronger relationships between child-serving organizations.

Learn more about our funding strategy.

Our Community Impact Framework

Learn more about our partners who provide shelter services.

From Crisis Intervention to Empowerment: Newhouse’s Comprehensive Approach to Child Well-being

Learn about Newhouse’s innovative approach to empowering families and children who have been impacted by domestic violence.

Hope House Offers Safety & Healing for Kids Facing Domestic Violence

In addition to housing services, Hope House’s Guardian Program and Children’s Advocates make critical services available for kids facing domestic violence. Learn more about these programs and how the CSF partners with Hope House to make these programs sustainable.