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AYA Youth Collective details services, ARPA-funded expansion and housing needs for youth
Summary
AYA Youth Collective reported serving more than 1,000 unique youth in 2025, described a $2 million ARPA-funded comprehensive health initiative with Katherine's Health Center, the purchase of 241 State Street for expanded drop-in and transitional services, and projected housing demand reaching 3,200 youth by 2035.
Lauren Van Kellen, chief executive officer of AYA Youth Collective, presented the organization's annual report to the Kent County Policy & Operations Committee on April 28, detailing service metrics, ARPA-funded partnerships and an expansion plan to increase youth-specific housing and supports.
Van Kellen said AYA served 1,037 unique youth in 2025 (637 of them first-time visitors to the drop-in), supported 227 pregnant and parenting youth, provided 1,550 bus passes and distributed 43 direct cash transfers that "prevented 128 individuals from entering into homelessness." She said AYA housed 42 youth in 2025 and engaged 458 volunteers and 47 community partners.
Van Kellen said AYA received $2 million in ARPA funds to grow a comprehensive onsite health initiative in partnership with Katherine's Health Center and noted the organization has purchased 241 State Street to expand drop-in capacity and pilot transitional housing. "We're partnering with Katherine's Health, who you heard from today, for adolescent healthcare," she said, and added that onsite DHS staff and behavioral-health partnerships have boosted enrollment and access.
On funding and operations, Van Kellen described an annual budget of about $6.2 million (operations closer to $5.5 million after capital projects are isolated), with roughly 45% of public funding coming from state, county, city and federal sources including HUD and federal grants; the remainder comes from foundations, local philanthropy and program service revenue.
In response to commissioner questions, Van Kellen said the organization projects the county will need approximately 430 youth-specific housing "units" under HUD's bedroom-based unit rules to meet current youth needs and that, using multiple data sources, AYA estimates demand could reach roughly 3,200 young people requiring services by 2035. She described a mix of prevention, early intervention/crisis response and longer-term housing solutions, and said AYA intends to leverage tax-credit financing and other public funds to build additional units.
Commissioners praised AYA's growth and asked follow-up questions about funding risks (noting HUD NOFOs and federal grant competitiveness), program sustainability and the operational details of pilot housing (single-room occupancy units with a house mentor and shared kitchen). Van Kellen said the organization will finalize a white paper on integrated onsite care and expects some measures of cost savings as wraparound services reduce emergency use over time.
