Our impact
From Service to Systems Change
Living Waters Youth has grown from a grassroots organization rooted in lived experience into an organization developing housing, service, referral and community systems designed to create stronger pathways for young adults transitioning from foster care and other systems.
2013 onward
Minnesota Foundation
- Founded in 2013
- Developed youth programming
- Managed youth-centered community programming
- Opened and operated a foster home in North Minneapolis
- Provided care to more than 10 young girls over several years
- Built relationships with youth, families and community partners
Current focus
Chicago Expansion
- Expanded into Chicago
- Established Surviving the System – Chicago
- Developed a focused West Side strategy
- Began building DCFS and foster-care advocacy relationships
- Developed foster-care alumni and transition-focused programming
- Began strengthening FYI referral pathways
- Built relationships across housing, workforce, clinical and community systems
Housing
Housing Work
- Supported housing navigation and stabilization
- Developed FYI referral processes
- Began developing furniture and household-startup partnerships
- Began pursuing larger-scale housing-development opportunities
- Developed a vision for a 45-unit housing development
Capacity
Training & Systems Development
- Participated in Chicago Continuum of Care training
- Completed CSH Illinois Groundwork Youth Supportive Housing Development Training
- Began developing HMIS and system participation
- Engaged with housing and homelessness-response systems
- Began developing DCFS and foster-care advocacy partnerships
Training participation and completion do not imply certification, formal partnership, funding or a completed development. The 45-unit housing development is a vision currently being pursued.
Human Impact
What Support Can Make Possible
Behind every program and partnership is a person building greater stability, independence and possibility.
Whole-Person Support, Advocacy and Family Stability
KiraLiving Waters Youth Participant “When I first started working with Living Waters, I was in a place where I felt like I was trying to figure out so many things at once. I was trying to get myself stable, find employment, navigate different systems, and figure out childcare for my baby.
Housing Stabilization and Family Support
SerenaLiving Waters Youth Participant “Since I got connected to Living Waters Youth, the organization has done everything they said they would. I was in a rough situation in 2025.
Housing Stability and Independence
IyonnaLiving Waters Youth Participant “My experience with Living Waters Youth has been truly meaningful. It has given me a supportive environment to grow, learn, and become a better version of myself.
Workforce Development and Personal Growth
MariaLiving Waters Youth Participant “Working with Living Waters Youth was a really great experience for me. They taught us a lot of important things, not only about working, but also about communication, teamwork, responsibility, and how to work well with other people.
Housing, Dignity and a Fresh Start
JasmireLiving Waters Youth Participant “Dear Ms. Tanneka and the Living Waters Youth Team, I want to take a moment to sincerely thank you for everything you have done for me.
Surviving the System | From System Involvement to Stability & Independence
Outcomes & Impact
Living Waters Youth measures impact across housing stability, supportive services, wellness, employment, family stability, systems navigation and long-term independence.
Service Impact Snapshot
- 30Young Adults Served
- 16Connected to Housing
- 14Engaged in Supports
These organizational outcomes reflect Living Waters Youth service impact and are separate from proposed DCFS Year One capacity and performance targets.
What participants tell us
Participant-Reported Areas of Impact
Housing Stability
Housing navigation, placement, and ongoing support designed to help young adults obtain and maintain safe, stable housing.
Clinical & Wellness
Therapy, emotional support, wellness resources, and assistance managing mental health and emotional challenges.
Employment & Workforce Development
Job support, workplace readiness, communication skills, teamwork, career development, and personal responsibility.
Systems Navigation & Advocacy
Helping young adults understand their options, access resources, navigate complex systems, and strengthen self-advocacy skills.
Family Stability
Support addressing childcare, housing, family responsibilities, and other barriers affecting young parents and their children.
Independence & Personal Growth
Building confidence, responsibility, communication, decision-making skills, and the tools necessary for long-term stability and independence.
Proposed, not yet achieved
Surviving the System: Year One Performance Framework
Proposed Year One Capacity
Up to 50 eligible participants during Year One, based on referral volume, authorized services, staffing capacity, and final program agreements.
The capacity and percentages below are future program goals. They are not historical results.
Performance area
Housing Stability
- 100% of participating young adults receive an individualized housing/stabilization plan within 30 days when housing stabilization is an identified need.
- Target: 80% obtain safe and stable housing within 90 days when housing placement is an identified program goal.
- Target: 80% housing retention at 12 months among participants placed in housing.
Performance area
Economic Stability
- Employment and/or education assessment for participating clients when applicable.
- Target: 75% engaged in workforce, vocational, educational, or employment services within six months.
- Target: 60% obtain employment, internship, apprenticeship, or educational enrollment within one year.
Performance area
Behavioral Health & Recovery
- Behavioral-health screening and assessment based on program need and clinical scope.
- Timely connection to appropriate behavioral-health services.
- Track engagement in therapy, behavioral-health, peer-support, and recovery services.
- Measure participant-reported wellbeing and progress.
Performance area
Independent Living & Community Connection
- Individualized service plans identifying strengths, goals, barriers, and support needs.
- Target: 90% connected to appropriate community resources.
- Target: 75% successful program completion, measured through progress toward individualized service-plan goals and sustained community engagement.
Accountability
How Impact Is Measured
Living Waters Youth tracks outcomes through:
- Enrollment and participation
- Initial and ongoing assessments
- Housing placement and housing retention
- Case-management contacts
- Service referrals
- Therapy, behavioral-health, peer-support, and recovery engagement
- Employment and educational progress
- Community-resource connections
- Individualized service-plan goals
- Participant-reported wellbeing and progress
Our work goes beyond service delivery. We measure whether young adults are becoming safer, more stable, more connected, and better equipped to build independent futures for themselves and their families.
The next chapter
Building the continuum
Living Waters is continuing to build a stronger continuum of support where young adults can move from foster care or other systems into housing, employment, healing, financial stability, community and leadership.
We are not simply asking young people to survive the transition into adulthood. We are building the pathways that help them thrive.