Larkin Street Youth Services: 100 Reasons

100 Reasons to Move Beyond the Street

Every young person deserves a roof over their head and a safe place to call home. Unfortunately, there are far too many of our youth who—through no fault of their own—are without homes and without safe places to live and learn.

Larkin Street Youth Services serves more than 2,000 of them.
They come to our doors from all over the United States. They share histories of abuse and neglect, and for most of them returning home is not a viable option.

As the youth themselves will tell you, there are hundreds of reasons that they want and need to move beyond life on the street.

Here are 100 of those reasons . . .

1. Smells better
   2. Bed, blanket, pillow
   3. Warm
   4. No rain
   5. Follow own rules
   6. Be your own person
   7. Own clean underwear
   8. No curfew
   9. Phone
  10. Showers
  11. Eat healthy
  12. Privacy
  13. Sleep
  14. Safe
  15. Place to clean gold teeth
  16. Parties
  17. Education
  18. Respect
  19. Quality
  20. Self-esteem
  21. Pets
  22. Clothes: socks
  23. Roomates/lack of
  24. Clean water
  25. Bathrooms
  26. Hygiene
  27. Personal issues
  28. Loud music
  29. No wake-up time
  30. Entertainment
  31. Own space
  32. Choice of food
  33. TV
  34. Soft T.P.
  35. Furniture you like
  36. Detergent
  37. Yard
  38. Pay own bills
  39. Vacations
  40. Self-determination
  41. Decorations
  42. Credit
  43. Trust
  44. School
  45. Computers
  46. Own stereo
  47. Plants
  48. Garden
  49. Neighbors
  50. Eat out

  51. Go out
  52. Self-image
  53. Ability to help others
  54. Save $
  55. Steady income
  56. Hardwood floors
  57. Heat
  58. Barefoot
  59. Own toilet
  60. Security
  61. No stealing
  62. Own clothes
  63. Cosmetics
  64. Address
  65. Phone #
  66. Email
  67. Entertaining friends
  68. Own garbage
  69. Q-Tips
  70. Mouthwash
  71. Answering machine
  72. Closet
  73. Glasses
  74. Insurance
  75. Coffee
  76. Pool
  77. Bathtub
  78. Mirror
  79. Dresser
  80. Shoes
  81. Big TV
  82. Lock on door
  83. Own key
  84. Full refrigerator
  85. Watch
  86. Pager
  87. Cell phone
  88. Jewelry
  89. Pictures
  90. Holes in walls
  91. Oriental rugs
  92. Pots & pans
  93. Electricity
  94. Hot water
  95. King size bed
  96. Window
  97. View
  98. Electricity
  99. Order in
100. Your own mess