Awaken Hope - How to help Homeless Youth with Jeffrey Sitcov & Justine Yildiz

Justine Yildiz, who was homeless from 12 to 16, is the most recent youth to beat the odds having survived a life of physical abuse and dealing with severe depression on the streets. Justine has herself become a true life "ROCKY STORY,” bringing hope to other homeless youth, as she graduates this past week from the College of Law in Santa Barbara as an attorney. 

Jeffrey Sitcov, Founder & President of Doors fo Change, remarked “We are so proud of her. With help from the community, more homeless youth can achieve their own goals and become role model's for many other teens, as proof that the cycle can be broken."

*** “I defy anyone to watch and listen to these voices and not be moved to help transform the lives of our homeless youth.”— Lucie Arnaz/Spokesperson (Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k51MapGILQA)

As the numbers only appear to be growing, we ask you to consider speaking with Founder and President of DOORS OF CHANGE, Jeffrey Sitcov, who has done amazing job raising 5.9 million for homeless youth and securing support from members of the entertainment community. 

In addition to the enlisting the charities celebrity spokespersons, Lucie Arnaz (The Lucy Show / Here’s Lucy) and Anson Williams (Happy Days), Sitcov has received support (Past and present) from music legends, including Elton John, Billy Joel, Aretha Franklin, Ringo Starr, Shania Twain, Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, James Taylor, Willie Nelson, Diana Crawl, Elvis Costello, Chris Isaak, Joe Cocker, Carlos Santana, Etta James, Tony Bennett, BB King, Ziggy Marley, Doobie Brothers, Los Lobos, The Who, The Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac, and Three Dog Night, as well as comedians such as Billy Crystal, Steve Martin, Jerry Seinfeld, and the late Robin Williams, to seven of TV’s most Iconic moms, including Marion Ross (Happy Days), Jane Kaczmarek (Malcom in the Middle, Karen Grassle (Little House on the Prairie), June Lockhart, Lassie/Lost In Space), Ilene Graff (Mr Belvedere), Dee Wallace (ET/The New Lassie) and Michael Learned (The Waltons), as well as former San Diego Homeless youth turned Miss Universe/Attorney, Nikki Johnson-Huston, Esq.

Tens of thousands more youth in the U.S. were homeless in 2023 compared with 2022 as high costs of living pushed some of the most vulnerable into shelters and the street. Homelessness shot up by more than 12% in the last year. The numbers represent the sharpest increase and largest unhoused population since the federal government began tallying totals in 2007. The population of American youth experiencing unsheltered homelessness, who are particularly at risk of violence and criminalization increased, as well as the number of people living in shelters.

SURVIVORS SPEAK OUT:

*** Justine (Homeless Teen Survivor): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXvkxoPytq0

*** Karen (Homeless Teen Survivor): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSa1xxCUu6U

*** Hannah (Homeless Teen Survivor): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q10ZESqXJYU

*** Mikey (Homeless Teen Survivor): https://www.youtube.com/shorts/qZAyCbf4LWI

Please contact our office if you require any additional information regarding Doors of Change (https://doorsofchange.org/) and/or President, Jeffrey Sitcov.