About Us
Point Source Youth will prevent and end youth homelessness.
OUR MISSIONEvery year, more than 3.5 million young people in the U.S. experience homelessness.
We believe our society has the responsibility to end this crisis once and for all.
At Point Source Youth, we’re working toward a future where every young person has the safety, stability, and joy they deserve. We trust youth to lead their own lives – and we know lasting change comes when those most impacted take the lead.
That’s why we partner with communities, service providers, and youth advocates nationwide to uplift the power of young people – especially those from historically marginalized backgrounds – by advancing bold, affirming solutions and putting resources directly in their hands.
Because ending youth homelessness isn't just a policy goal. It's a moral obligation.
OUR VALUESThese principles anchor all our work with youth and communities
Ending youth homelessness starts with resourcing youth directly
Communities thrive when they have the power to design and drive solutions.
Solutions must be
scalable, effective, and sustainable.
OUR STORYOUR WORKyouth-centered solutions
We focus on three youth-centered solutions to end youth homelessness: Direct Cash Transfers, Targeted Housing Assistance Program, and a learning collaborative to prevent youth homelessness. Each empowers young people and their communities to create and lead their own pathways to stability.
Direct Cash Transfers
We partner with local service providers across the country to distribute monthly payments to young people over 24 months. The payments are tailored to their needs and preferences. Recipients can also opt into youth-centered support like housing navigation, financial coaching, and peer mentorship.
Targeted Housing Assistance Program
This initiative is similar to direct cash transfers except it is intended for young people at risk of homelessness. Recipients get a one-time cash payment to put their housing plan into action, plus access to youth-centered support from local community organizations.
National Prevention Learning Collaborative
We facilitate a peer learning network uniting youth homelessness experts and impacted young adults nationwide. The collaborative highlights evidence-based prevention programs, uplifts advocacy for sustainable funding, and strengthens collaboration among federal, state, and local partners.
OUR HISTORYFounded on the principle that Young people are the source of change and hope
Point Source Youth was founded in 2015 with a name inspired by physics. Co-founder Colin McSwiggen, a physicist, introduced the concept of a “point source” – a single, powerful source of light. The idea became a guiding metaphor: Young people themselves are powerful sources of solutions, change, and hope.
From the start, Point Source Youth has been committed to resourcing young people directly. The organization recognizes that homelessness and housing insecurity look different for everyone, and that one-size-fits-all, top-down solutions don’t work. Traditional interventions like shelters, temporary housing or vouchers wrapped in red tape are often costly, overburdened, and fail to address the root causes of the crisis. Instead, Point Source Youth advances flexible, affirming approaches that center young people as leaders and create real pathways to stability.
(From Left) Ronald Johnson, Co-Founder, Treasurer, and Board of Directors; Larry Cohen, Co-Founder and Executive Director; and Colin McSwiggen, Co-Founder and Member, Board of Directors.