About

Second Home

Second Home connects volunteer host homes with unaccompanied high school students experiencing homelessness. As students have assurance of stable housing and ongoing support, they can focus on completing their secondary education and realize their full potential. Our program is a ground-breaking example of how a community can respond to the issue of youth homelessness.

All home-share arrangements are governed by rental agreements and house rules that home providers and students negotiate together, with the help of the Second Home staff and volunteer mediators from the Dispute Resolution Center. Support for the participants comes from both the Second Home staff and from the community.

Second Home is also available to provide support to people who are already housing unaccompanied homeless youth.

Second Home was launched by Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon in 2010 to assist students in the Beaverton School District. Since then, the program has expanded to serve students in Washington County, Clackamas County, East Multnomah County and Lincoln County school districts.

A program of Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon

Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon (EMO) meets the immediate needs of communities in the greater Portland area through our six direct service programs, while seeking long-term solutions through state-wide public policy and advocacy work.

Our direct service programs support refugees and immigrants, food insecure people, low-income people living with HIV, unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness and survivors of domestic violence.

Our Public Policy Advocacy team provides pathways for EMO clients, community members and Oregonians of faith to bring about change in the U.S. Congress, at the Oregon State Capitol and in local government.

EMOregon.org