Homeless Youths Rebuild Lives at Covenant House

When Jesse White was homeless, he found some comfort in drawing inside a book that kept him company.

But his dream of becoming a professional artist languished while he was on the streets.

His dream finally was nurtured two months ago when White, 21 and homeless, found shelter at Covenant House in Hollywood.

At the nonprofit organization, White received a warm bed, classes to prepare him for the working world -- and encouragement from staff members who urged him to apply to an art school.

“I’ve never seen so many positive people in my life who were so much into helping unfortunate people,” White said. “When I got to Covenant House, I just got in my mind, ‘OK, it’s time to get back to my drawing.’ ”

For 15 years, Covenant House on North Western Avenue has been a haven where homeless teenagers and young adults come to get help as they try to get off the streets.

Inside the brightly painted building, the young people receive services such as medical and substance abuse treatment, temporary and long-term housing and a variety of classes that teach skills such as resume writing.

The idea is to give them the resources they need to live self-sufficient lives, said George Lozano, Covenant House’s executive director.

“As a result, it’s not three meals and a cot,” he said. “But we provide comprehensive services to support our kids in truly changing their lives around.”

Covenant House received a $15,000 grant this year from the Los Angeles Times Holiday Campaign, which raises money for nonprofits in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties.

Homeless young people often hear of Covenant House through its Van Outreach Team, which travels the city’s streets each night, bringing food and clothing to the youths.

The volunteers find the youths in places such as abandoned buildings and under bridges, Lozano said.

Many homeless youths left behind families where they suffered verbal or physical abuse, Lozano said. When they come to Covenant House, it is not unusual for the young people to be malnourished, addicted to drugs or alcohol or involved in prostitution.

Denise Stevenson, who arrived a few weeks ago, knows addiction well. Stevenson, 18, said she had abused alcohol and run away from her Long Beach home. On the streets of Los Angeles, she became addicted to crystal meth.

At Covenant House, she started substance abuse treatment, and began seeing a psychologist and going to church. “Covenant House is pretty much a life-saver,” she said. After she arrived there, she said, “I got off drugs.”

Now Stevenson is trying to earn an internship with Covenant House’s van outreach program so she can be one of the volunteers who brings food and clothing to youths still on the streets.

“I know people to this day that are homeless,” she said. “And I really want to help my community out this way.”

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