The Connection Youth Services
The Connection Youth Services was established in 2001 to help meet the needs of homeless and runaway youth in Livingston County.
All Services provided are free, confidential, and voluntary. TCYS is primarily funded by state and federal grants.
The Connection Youth Services works to increase young people’s access to safe and stable housing, connections to school and employment, enhance social and emotional well-being, increase self-sufficiency, and help to build permanent connections with families, communities, schools, and other positive social networks.
Services
24 Hour Assistance
Transitional Living Program
Support Groups
Drop-In Center
Temporary Housing Program (Basic Center)
The purpose the emergency shelter is to provide temporary, safe shelter, case management, and counseling services to runaway and homeless youth, 11-17 years old, who have left home without permission of their parents or guardians, have been forced to leave home, cannot live safely with a parent, legal guardian or relative, and have no other safe alternative living arrangement. Our program provides trauma-informed individual and family therapy, basic need services, intensive, coordinated case management, follow-up, continuum service linkages, and family reunification, whenever possible. This program is voluntary, free, and confidential.
Individual and Family Counseling
Street Outreach & Prevention
The Street Outreach Program’s primary goal is to provide street-based prevention and intervention services to runaway, homeless, and street youth who are 21 years of age and younger who are at-risk of becoming homeless or involved in the child welfare or criminal justice systems. Our program focuses on increasing young people’s safety, well-being, and self-sufficiency, and aims to help build permanent connections with caring adults to reduce the youth’s risk of homelessness. We believe that no matter what challenges a young person may face, they deserve and can live a healthy and productive life.
The Street Outreach Team is available to meet with youth and families to address a wide variety of needs and provides FREE presentations to teens in classrooms throughout Livingston county.
Presentation topics; stress and self-care, valuing your individuality, and time management.
This program is voluntary, free, and confidential.
Donations & Volunteering
We are truly grateful for our community’s support. If you would like to donate, please see our donation wish list below, or view our Amazon wish list.
Donations may be dropped off Monday-Thursday between the hours of 2PM-6PM at 616 West Grand River Avenue, Howell, MI
Please use the back door entrance. Please wear a mask!
If you have a question about donations please call (517) 245-3542.
Donation Wish List
Miscellaneous
- Gas Gift Cards
- Grocery Store Gift Cards (Kroger, Meijer, VGS, Walmart preferred)
- Fast Food Gift Cards
- Movie Passes
- Journals
- Mini Planners
- School Supplies
Food Items
- Chewing Gum
- Condiments
- Healthy Snacks
- Individual meals (mac and cheese, ravioli, soup)
- Granola Bars
- Bags of Chips
- Pudding cups
- Pop tarts
- Powdered Drink Mix
- Bottled Water
Paper Products/Cleaning Supplies
- Toilet Paper/ Paper towel
- Trash Bags
- Gallon Size Ziploc Bags
- Household Cleaners
- Mop and Bucket
- Swiffer Wet Pads
- Disinfectant Wipes
- Toilet Bowl Cleaner
- Hand Soap
- Lawn Bags
Hygiene Items
- Face wash
- Deodorant
- Hairbrushes
- Loofahs
- Hair Accessories
- Q-tips
- Bath Towels
Clothing
Due to licensing restrictions we can only accept new clothing with tags.
Host Homes Needed
We are looking for community members that are interested in providing a safe space (in their home) for youth between the ages of 18 and 21 for a period of up to 18 months. All youth and host homes are screened to ensure a good fit. Support and financial assistance is provided. Youth receive extensive case management services while staying with a host home. Assisting a young person who is in need of shelter can be a rewarding experience! For more information please contact 866-440-7233.

Our Values
- Helping Youth Stay Safe
- Strengthening Families
- Assisting parents in raising children who are confident, motivated, responsible, caring, healthy, and happy
- Treatment with dignity and respect
- Providing accurate and useful information
- Assisting youth in developing self-confidence, personal responsibility and integrity, academic, social and physical skills, and the ability to make healthy choices