YouthConnect Center and GLO Center expand Springfield youth shelter

The YouthConnect Center and the GLO Center have announced a partnership to expand overnight shelter services for at-risk youth in Springfield. The collaboration aims to increase the availability of shelter beds from three nights to five nights per week, covering Monday through Friday.

The YouthConnect Center, a program of FosterAdopt Connect, operates an 8-bed emergency shelter for individuals aged 13 to 21. Since its opening in April 2024, local youth have accessed the shelter more than 1,000 times. Previously, the facility was only open on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday nights.

Under the new arrangement, volunteers from the GLO Center, which serves the LGBTQIA+ community in the Ozarks, will staff the shelter on Tuesday and Thursday nights. This initiative will replace the GLO Center’s existing Crisis Cold Weather Shelter with a year-round program to support youth facing housing instability.