The mission of STANDUP FOR KIDS is to end the cycle of youth homelessness, one youth at a time. This mission shall be carried out by a national volunteer force whose on-the-streets outreach efforts will find, stabilize and assist homeless and at-risk youth in their efforts to improve their lives. 

The organization's mission shall also be furthered through deterrence and resource programs provided in schools and via the internet. All facets of this mission shall be guided by the mandate that our volunteers shall tell youth they care about them and then, at every turn, prove it. 

The STANDUP FOR KIDS constituency includes all youth, under the age of 25, who were homeless as youth and currently living on the streets. Additionally, our constituency is the at-risk youth, who are in peril of becoming homeless. These youth benefit greatly from our services and resources  by not only having their basic needs met, but also by having a forum where they are able to develop a trusting, caring relationship with our trained counseling professionals who are interested in helping them achieve their personal goals and transition from desperation to success. 

Our resources range from basic hygiene/food/clothing, healthcare, counseling/mentoring, and drug and alcohol rehabilitation to support through our four core programs: Street Outreach, Outreach Centers, Apartment Support, and Mentoring Programs. 

• Street Outreach counselors go on the streets and reach homeless and at-risk youth. The single greatest need for homeless and at-risk youth is to connect with a caring adult offering needed resources providing food, clothing, hygiene products and harm reduction counseling to address risks associated with street life.
• Some of our Programs have Outreach Centers. The Center helps provide the support network of basic human needs and development through education programs, one-on-one counseling, and an ongoing atmosphere of hope and concern. The youth are also able to escape the terrors and hardships of street life for a few hours every day. They are able to do laundry, have a meal and relax before they are back on the street. 
• Apartment Support volunteers provide our youth with the knowledge and skills necessary to take care of themselves and their apartment.  The extent of services offered will vary with the local program’s resources, but at a minimum will require assistance in coming up with deposits, weekly food deliveries, inspection of apartments for health and safety purposes, and training in basic living skills.  
• Mentoring relationships provide youth with the ability to develop their skills, create new opportunities, make healthy choices and ultimately achieve their full potential. Mentors act as guides, role models and accountability partners for our youth.

We also facilitate reunions between youth and their estranged families. Our networking outreach program helps homeless and at-risk youth by providing them with a variety of organizations and people in their immediate community who can help them with everything from legal services to identification services to employment services. All youth can access this network through the internet and will always have up-to-date resources that are specific to their needs. The youth and children are also able to reach our outreach volunteers if they are in need. 

Our organization, founded in 1990, is primarily a volunteer organization, currently utilizing over 500 volunteers from across the country. We use volunteers of all color, race, sexual orientation and physical ability. 

Over the past 29 years, STANDUP FOR KIDS volunteers have performed over a million hours of community services, conducted more than 100,000 hours of counseling services and provided more than 1,000,000 meals to homeless and at-risk youth. 

We consistently recruit board members with a wealth of knowledge and skill set to govern the organization and provide oversight and leadership that are instrumental in the growth of STANDUP FOR KIDS.

Through effective, qualified and well trained human resources, the goal of StandUp For Kids is to continuously establish and launch programs and resources to alleviate the problem of youth homelessness and prepare them for self-sufficiency.