Pathfinders

Basic Needs
Crisis
Education
Housing
United Way Program Partner

Who We Are

For more than 55 years, Pathfinders has brought safety, hope and healing to youth and young adults facing homelessness, sexual abuse, exploitation and trafficking, crisis and other trauma through innovative and transformational services.

Our mission is “empowering youth – changing lives.” Our vision is to provide a more meaningful voice for youth in crisis and ensure all youth are safe, healthy, independent, successful and valued.

What We Do

Pathfinders offers a variety of services to ensure youth’s safety and stability. Young people join Pathfinders leadership at the table to design these programs, ensuring they are effective for themselves and their peers.

Supported Housing: Pathfinders helps young adults aged 18-25 find safe housing. Once housed, we offer support with mental wellness, employment, education and life skills. These programs focus on populations particularly vulnerable to homelessness, like LGBTQ+ youth, parenting youth and those aging out of foster care.

Anti-Sexual Violence Services: We help youth with safety planning, crisis intervention and provide advocacy during court proceedings and in health care systems after a violent event. We also offer therapy and provide safe, stable housing.

Clinical Services: We support youth living with mental health, psychosis and/or substance use diagnoses, helping them reduce negative symptoms, develop life skills and transition into adulthood.

Drop-In Center: We meet youth’s basic needs for food, clothing, laundry, showers, hygiene resources and safe social spaces. We also provide employment and education support and flexible mental health services.

Street Outreach: With our mobile resource center, we meet youth in their neighborhoods to share basic needs items, sexual and mental wellness resources and connection to Pathfinders’ in-house services.

Youth Shelter: We provide emergency shelter for youth aged 11-17, plus crisis counseling services for youth aged 18-21. During and after their stay, we offer basic needs and mental wellness resources to help youth maintain safety and stability.

Learn more at PathfindersMKE.org