BIPOC Teen entering Covenant House Chicago homeless shelter

Covenant House International Annual Report 2024

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You can also download the report as a PDF

A Message From Bill

“This year, Covenant House took a bold step forward. After more than a year of field research across our federation, we introduced a road map to end youth homelessness, The Journey Home."

Bill Bedrossian

President & CEO, Covenant House International

 

Bill Bedrossian - Covenant House CEO

Our Five Guiding Principles

Every young person who comes to Covenant House is met with unconditional love and absolute respect. These five principles guide our planning, our decision making, and our work with young people.

Our Principles - Immediacy

Immediacy

We welcome all youth without judgment or conditions, meeting their immediate basic needs of food, clothing, medical attention, and a safe place to sleep, at no cost.

Our Principles - Sanctuary

Sanctuary

We acknowledge the bravery it takes for young people to walk through our doors. We offer them a welcoming and safe environment based on absolute respect, unconditional love, and relentless support, where we believe in and encourage their resilience.

Our Principles - Value Communication

Value Communication

We value authentic relationships, honor the voice of our youth, and model caring relationships based on trust, respect, and honesty.

Our Principles - Structure

Structure

We provide stability and consistency for young people to pursue their great promise.

Our Principles - Choice

Choice

We honor that young people hold the power to their story. Through relentless engagement we foster confidence and encourage them to believe in themselves and make informed choices about their lives.

57,000

Nearly 57,000 youth were reached by our programs across 5 countries last year.

862,000

We provided more than 862,000 nights of safe housing to young people in the past year.

1.8 Million

We served 1.8 million meals to young people in the past year.

Youth and Alumni

Each year, millions of young people in North and Central America experience homelessness, whether living on the streets, in shelters, couch surfing, or doubling up with family, friends, or even strangers. About one in ten young people will experience homelessness at some point in their lives. Youth who identify as Black, Hispanic, Indigenous, LGBTQ+, or who are young parents are most at risk and often face additional challenges, such as racism, sexism, and homophobia, as they navigate their identities while experiencing the trauma of homelessness.

Since we first opened our doors at Covenant House more than 50 years ago, we’ve welcomed over 1.5 million young people. We provide youth a safe, nurturing environment, where they can grow, heal, and transition to adulthood. Our high-quality services include safety, nourishing food, clothing, medical and mental health care, and opportunities for youth to advance their education, life skills, and job and career readiness. Because a significant percentage of young people who find their way to Covenant House are also survivors of human trafficking, we offer specialized services to help them overcome those experiences and build the life they long for.

Our doors remain open 24/7, and we welcome all young people facing homelessness, regardless of their race, religion, identity, citizenship, or background, as long as we have room and the safe conditions to receive them.

And our support for them extends far beyond their time with us. As youth move on to brighter futures, our Covenant House Alumni Community continues to play a vital role in their journeys. The Alumni Community offers former residents ongoing mentorship, career resources, and opportunities for connection to help them continue to thrive and to give back to the next generation of youth in need.

Our alumni are proof of the lasting impact of our work. Many have become entrepreneurs, educators, and advocates, each contributing to breaking the cycle of homelessness and creating a better future for themselves and their communities.

Read More
Young Covenant House resident sitting on their bed talking to staff

Programs and Facilities Spotlight

Former homeless teenagers seated at table inside shelter | Covenant House

Workforce Development

Preparing youth for work and a career.

Over the last year, Covenant House helped 2,900 young people increase their job readiness, assisted 1,900 to enroll or remain in school, and empowered 2,600 youth to obtain or retain employment. In year two of our Information Technology Career Pathways program, 168 youth across 12 sites enrolled, 52 of them earned certifications, and 31 youth were on track to earn their certifications.

Covenant House former homeless teen and staff talking at table

Mental Health & First Aid

Empowering staff to respond to crises.

Youth Mental Health First Aid is a training program that empowers staff across all departments to recognize when a youth may be facing a mental health or substance use crisis. In 2024, the program grew to 11 sites, with more than 360 Covenant House staff members trained, and 14 staff members certified as YMHFA instructors.

Covenant House Honduras Staff and CEO Bill Bedrossian

Anti-Human Trafficking

A new safe house for girls in Honduras.

Hogar Querubines, literally, House of Angels, is a Covenant House Honduras home for trafficked, abused, and exploited girls ages 12 to 18. Over the course of 20 years, the program has served more than 1,000 girls. In 2024, thanks to Maestro Cares Foundation, we purchased a new home to ensure our youths’ safety and healing. We can now accommodate up to 30 girls at once, a significant increase from the 20 girls at our former location.

1,900

We helped over 1,900 youth to enroll or remain in school in the past year.

19,000

Covenant House facilitated nearly 19,000 on-site medical visits last year.

3,400

Over the last year nearly 3,400 youth were screened for human trafficking experiences.

Movement Leadership

The Journey Home: Building for 2035

Right now, across the United States and Canada, more than 4.2 million young people experience homelessness for at least one night each year. In Central America and Mexico, more than 4.1 million children were in need of humanitarian assistance in 2024, including children on the move and in communities impacted by violence. Every year, in the U.S. and Canada, the rate of homelessness jumps 12%. So, if we as societies do nothing, if we make no new investments or interventions to stem this tide, the homeless youth population in the U.S. and Canada alone could reach 14.7 million young people by the year 2035.

That’s why we’ve established 2035 as a target date to reach our first eight goals and bring us closer to our overall vision to end youth homelessness as we know it today. We’ve slated some of our goals for achievement even sooner.

Covenant House International will raise and invest $5 billion by the year 2035 to build our three pathways, impede the dramatic rise in the number of youth facing homelessness and trafficking, and make safety, hope, and opportunity within reach for all young people. By 2035, we will accomplish the following:

Eight Goals for 2035

The Journey Home

Covenant House's vision for ending youth homelessness as we know it today.

Youth Homelessness Awareness Month

During Youth Homelessness Awareness Month in November, Covenant House amplified our global call to solidarity with young people experiencing homelessness, and we invited supporters to join us in seeking solutions to the root causes of youth homelessness.

Learn more about our rally to end Youth Homelessness

Youth Homelessness Awareness Month Rally at Times Square NYC | Covenant House

Sleep Out

Sleep Out is a global movement that challenges people to give up their bed for one night so that youth facing homelessness can sleep safely at Covenant House. We Sleep Out to show our solidarity with young people facing homelessness — and to let the world know about their rising population. Sleep Out raises critical funds that help provide 24/7 shelter, sanctuary, and support to youth overcoming homelessness in the locations where we operate. At Sleep Out, you learn from experts, hear inspiring stories, and advocate for a future where everyone has a safe place to sleep.

Learn More

Covenant House Sleep Out Volunteers

Financial Reporting

Covenant House is committed to maintaining and expanding our mission to serve young people in need. We are rigorous in our financial responsibility, and deeply value the critical contributions that make our care for young people possible.

Read more about our financials

Total Expenses (in millions) - $284.00

Total Revenue (in millions) - $284.00

Covenant House help homeless youth get off the street
Covenant House Greater Washington former homeless youth Trevon | Donate today to provide warmth and care to homeless teens

At Covenant House, I found more than a roof over my head. I found people who saw me, who believed in me, and who gave me the resources to rebuild my life.

- Trevon

Letter from Trevon

To the whole Covenant House community,

When I was 12 years old, my world changed forever. That's when my grandmother told me I couldn't stay with her any longer. She was working two jobs just to keep a roof over our heads. Keeping food on the table for herself and a growing boy had become more than she could handle. She would leave for work before I got up for school, and she wouldn’t return until after I had gone to bed at night. One day, she sat me down and said that I was old enough to make my own choices, and to take care of myself. And though I didn’t know it then, she was right — I had strength inside me I hadn’t yet discovered.

Still, I was just a kid. I left with nothing but a bag of clothes. One day, I came back to the house to exchange my dirty clothes for clean ones. That’s when I found it — a white blanket folded neatly in my bag. My grandmother must have tucked it in when I wasn’t looking.

That blanket became my shield against the harsh winters and the biting winds, the kind of cold that cuts through even the toughest of us. It was thick, the warmest thing I’d ever felt, and it kept me safe when I had nowhere to go but the streets. I clung to it, not just for warmth, but because it reminded me that someone, somewhere, cared about me.

But a blanket can only do so much. For a decade, I lived on and off the streets, sleeping in cars, behind garages, and wherever I could find shelter. I prayed every day, holding on to the hope that someone would believe in me, that I would find a place where I didn’t have to fight to survive alone. That hope became a reality when I found Covenant House.

At Covenant House, I found more than a roof over my head. I found people who saw me, who believed in me, and who gave me the resources to rebuild my life. Today, I’m thriving. I’ve reunited with my family, I’m working, and I’m giving back to the community that helped me find my way.

Trevon at Sleep Out

But my story isn’t unique. Thousands of young people are out there right now, facing the same cold nights and the same overwhelming challenges I once faced. That’s why your support is so important.

Your generosity helps provide the essentials — food, shelter, and clothing — but it also provides hope. It funds education, job training, and the support needed to end youth homelessness in my lifetime. You’re not just giving money; you’re giving young people like me a chance to dream again, to believe that they’re worth more than their circumstances.

As winter gets colder, I think often of that white blanket and the warmth it gave me. I am writing to you today to thank you for being that warmth for another young person.

With gratitude,

Trevon
Alum, Covenant House Greater Washington

Be Part of the Solution

Your gift today ensures that young survivors at Covenant House will receive the care they need to heal, grow, and reach their potential.

Acknowledgements

Key Partners

  • Accenture
  • Alliance Global Partners
  • Altas
  • Amazin' Mets Foundation
  • Anywhere Real Estate
  • Arch Capital Group
  • Ardian Foundation
  • Bank Of America Charitable Foundation
  • Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Inc.
  • Casa Alianza Suisse
  • Chick-fil-A Tri State
  • Cisco Systems
  • Citi Foundation
  • Clark Family Charitable Trust
  • Comic Relief US
  • Conrad N. Hilton Foundation
  • Delta Air Lines
  • Edrington
  • Ernst & Young
  • Global Atlantic Financial Group
  • Goldman Sachs
  • Gotham
  • HardRock
  • HSBC
  • Humble Bundle
  • KBP Foods
  • KIA Motors
  • Maestro Cares Foundation
  • Manny & Mila Teixeira Foundation, Inc.
  • MetLife Foundation
  • Moore Group
  • Morgan Stanley
  • National Basketball Association
  • National Basketball Players Association
  • NBC Universal
  • New Traditions
  • National Football League
  • NY Yankees Foundation
  • O'Shea Family Foundation
  • Outfront Media
  • Paragon Insurance Holdings
  • PIMCO
  • Porticus
  • Pret A Manger
  • PVH Foundation
  • QBE Foundation
  • Raikes Foundation
  • Raskob Foundation for Catholic Activities
  • Ray & Kay Eckstein Charitable Trust
  • Rockefeller Brothers Fund
  • Rock-It Cargo
  • Santander Bank
  • Schroder Investment Management
  • Shutterfly
  • Signature Aviation
  • Silverstein Properties
  • Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
  • Starbucks Foundation
  • Take-Two Interactive
  • Tao Group Hospitality
  • The Annie E. Casey Foundation
  • The Hearst Foundations
  • The Lebensfeld Foundation c/o Sullivan & Cromwell LLP
  • The Loyola Foundation, Inc.
  • The Warburg Pincus Foundation
  • TransRe
  • Truist Foundation
  • Tsunami Foundation
  • TSX
  • Ulta Beauty Charitable Foundation
  • Universal Music Group
  • Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation
  • Wells Fargo Foundation

Covenant House International Board Members