In Nashville, a Safe Haven for LGBTQ+ Homeless Youth Takes Shape

By Lauren Means (she/her)・Photos Courtesy Nashville Launch Pad

A study in the Journal of Adolescent Health showed those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning (LGBTQ+) have a 120% higher risk of experiencing some form of homelessness.

With an estimated 2,000 people experiencing chronic homelessness in Nashville, the plight of LGBTQ+ individuals, especially youth and young adults, remains perilous. A dedicated group is working tirelessly to change that by constructing a shelter that will provide a safe haven for this population.

Nashville Launch Pad has embarked on the construction of the city’s sixth mobile housing navigation center. This endeavor is groundbreaking as it marks the very first shelter in Nashville specifically catering to LGBTQ+ youth aged 18 to 24.

Mobile Housing Navigation Centers are specialized mobile units designed to assist individuals or families experiencing homelessness in finding stable housing options and accessing supportive services by meeting people where they are.

Situated behind Connection United Methodist Church in Donelson, the shelter aims not only to provide a bed but also offers the assistance of two staff members
dedicated to helping these youth transition from the streets to a place of their own.

The team’s task involves transforming large rooms, formerly housing a Donelson daycare, into smaller, private rooms capable of accommodating up to 16 beds, offering a respite from the harsh streets.

The shelter will serve as a home for LGBTQ+ young adults for up to 120 days, offering them stability until they can secure their own housing and embark on a new chapter in their lives.

This latest venture is just another step in meeting the needs of the community.

When founded in 2014, Launch Pad was run solely by volunteers to provide shelter for unhoused LGBTQ+ young adults one to two nights per week. Its mission is to create a network of temporary, safer, street-free sleeping shelters for unhoused young adults that are open and affirming to LGBTQ+ individuals and their allies.

Over the years the program has grown and fulfills its mission by offering several services including the Independent-Supported Living Program (ISLP), Emergency Shelter, and Outreach Services.

The ISLP is focused on LGBTQ+ young adults, 18 to 24, and provides overnight accommodations in home-like apartments. Guests can take up to six months to focus on employment, the search for permanent housing, education goals, and more. Guests can receive mail, leave belongings, and create a routine by returning to the same, familiar place night after night while being protected from the Nashville heat or cold.

Nightly emergency shelter has been the heart of Launch Pad since 2014. These simple shelter spaces are supported by a network of church hosts. Launch Pad Emergency Shelter provides an LGBTQ+ affirming, safer sleeping environment, a warm meal, and a hot shower during the cold winter months from November 1 through April 1. Staff and volunteers are trained in trauma-informed care and all work to create a welcoming, secure, and healing environment.

Their outreach services include case management, help with food needs, obtaining bus passes, help replacing lost or stolen IDs, and support with many other issues.

Connect with Nashville Launch Pad

Nashville Launch Pad plans to open the LGBTQ+ shelter this fall. For more information on all their programs, to volunteer, or to sign up for services, please visit their website at https://www.nashvillelaunchpad.com/.