LGBTQ youth find support, safety at David’s Place

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — The Journal of Adolescent Health reports LGBTQ+ individuals are overrepresented in the unhoused youth population. 

Locally, David’s Place provides a resource for those individuals. It is located within the youth homeless shelter Daybreak and is considered a safe haven for LGBTQ+ individuals.

The facility offers an inclusive environment, staff and services. 

Some of the available resources at David’s Place include: 

Clothes 
Name change resources 
Community support groups 
Inclusive library 
Healthy relationships group 
Access to affirming healthcare 

“That’s really the focus here is, on making sure that folks who are LGBT in Dayton, understand that Dayton is for them,” said Program Lead at David’s Place, Martin Miller. 

According to Daybreak, 40% of unhoused youth identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community. 

“There are several factors that feed into LGBT youth homelessness. There’s rejection from family, there’s trauma taking place in school systems and social support. So, a lot of times people who are young coming out of high school going into college, when they hit those points of instability in their lives, they don’t have necessarily family or the support networks that a lot of people have to fall back on,” said Miller. 

David’s Place opened after Daybreak staff noticed that they were serving only 20% of the young and unhoused LGBTQ+ population. 

“It’s a wonderful space, but really, what I really marvel at is that since 2021 we have seen an influx of youth coming in and saying they feel safe here, they feel accepted here, that despite what they may have experienced throughout their youth and young adult years, they’re coming here and realizing that they matter and they have a voice in this space,” said CEO of Daybreak, Alisha Murray. 

In the three years David’s Place has been open, they have brought up the percentage of unhoused LGBTQ+ youth they serve to 32%. 

David’s Place helps its clients go beyond basic needs, to foster growth, self-actualization, and expression.

“Today you can be anyone you want to be you can be free, you don’t feel like you’re being followed anymore and Davids place is that safe place where the kids can come and they can walk down the street and be who they are no matter if you’re gay, you’re straight, you’re trans, whatever your choice in life is, you can be yourself. You don’t have to hide anymore,” said Daybreak Board Member, Robb Sloan-Anderson. 

To learn more about David’s Place and Daybreak, visit https://daybreakdayton.org/davids-place/