Youth Emergency Services

What Youth Emergency Services does

Youth Emergency Services (YES) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1974 and headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, dedicated exclusively to serving youth and young adults ages 16-25 experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity in the Omaha metro area (Douglas, Sarpy, and Pottawattamie counties). YES operates a comprehensive continuum of care spanning six interconnected programs: Street Outreach and a Drop-In Center providing meals, showers, laundry, and basic needs; a 24/7 Emergency Shelter for up to 90 days; a Transitional Living Program offering apartment-style housing for up to 18 months; a Maternity Group Home for pregnant and parenting youth; the Safe Place national network with local business sites (QuikTrip, YMCA) and a 24/7 crisis hotline; and adjunct services including clinical Mental Health Services, a Wellness Wednesdays program, and a Job Readiness Program.

The organization is funded through a diversified mix of individual donations, corporate and event sponsorships (notably Union Pacific's Golf Outing since 1995), federal grants including the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program, in-kind contributions, and proceeds from its wholly owned Tip Top Thrift Shop subsidiary and HOME Society support group. YES is currently executing a $28 million capital campaign to consolidate nine program locations into a single YES House residential campus at 575 South 28th Street, featuring 40 housing units and 16 shelter beds. The organization holds national accreditation from the Council on Accreditation (COA) and in 2024 served 394 youth, distributed 11,623 meals, and answered 107 Safe Place crisis calls.

YES differentiates itself as the only organization in the Omaha metro solely focused on youth homelessness, with 50 years of specialized expertise, an established network of 100+ community partners, and a service portfolio that addresses immediate safety needs before building pathways to self-sufficiency through case management, mental health support, and workforce development.

Name

Youth Emergency Services

Legal name

Youth Emergency Services

Website

https://yesomaha.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Youth Emergency Services is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1974 that operates the only dedicated continuum of care for homeless youth ages 16-25 in the Omaha metro, providing emergency shelter, transitional housing, maternity housing, drop-in services, and mental health support free of charge.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Homeless Services

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Temporary Shelters (624221), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

Keywords

• Youth homelessness services
• Emergency shelter housing
• Transitional living program
• Drop-in support center
• Case management services

Headquarters

HQ city

Omaha

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individuals supporting youth homelessness programs
2. Corporate/Event Sponsorships: Sponsorships from businesses for annual Golf Outing and Dance for a Chance fundraisers
3. Government Grants and Funding: Federal funding through Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP) and other government sources for housing and services
4. In-Kind Donations: Clothing, food, hygiene products, and other essentials donated by individuals and businesses

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Youth Emergency Services (YES) provides free, comprehensive housing and support services for youth and young adults ages 16-25 experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity in the Omaha metro area. Its offerings span a continuum of care including Street Outreach & Drop-In Center (meals, showers, laundry, clothing), 24/7 Emergency Shelter (up to 90 days), Transitional Living Program (apartment-style housing up to 18 months), Maternity Group Home for pregnant/parenting youth, the Safe Place national crisis network, and supporting services in mental health counseling and job readiness.

Product overview

Youth Emergency Services (YES) is a nonprofit social services organization offering a continuum of care for homeless and at-risk youth ages 16-24. The organization operates multiple interconnected housing and support programs including Emergency Shelter (short-term crisis housing up to 90 days), Transitional Living Program (long-term apartment-style housing up to 18 months), Maternity Group Home (specialized housing for pregnant/parenting youth), and Street Outreach & Drop-In Center (providing basic needs and referrals). Additional services include Safe Place (24/7 crisis line and community referral network), Mental Health Services (clinical counseling and Wellness Wednesdays programming), and Job Readiness Program. YES House is a current capital campaign consolidating all programs into one campus.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Tip Top Thrift Shop: A volunteer-run thrift store in the Benson neighborhood. Every sale at Tip Top supports YES, helping provide essential resources to young people experiencing homelessness.
• HOME Society

Products and services

• Street Outreach & Drop-In Center

Quantifiable outcome

• 394 youth served in 2024
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Visiting Nurse Association (VNA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongstanding collaboration where VNA provides medical care at YES Street Outreach Center. Bridget, a VNA nurse, provides healthcare services, connects youth with providers, and educates them about their health.
• Tip Top Thrift ShopcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVolunteer-run thrift store in Benson neighborhood. All profits from store sales support YES mission. Located at 5910 Maple Street.
• Nebraska Diaper BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership provides 60-80 diapers every two weeks for each young child in YES programs. Ensures young parents have access to this essential resource.
• Access PeriodcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKeeps all YES facilities fully stocked with period kits and menstrual items readily available to anyone seeking YES services.
• Project EverlastcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner that connects youth in need with resources on housing, transportation, education, and more. Referred Colby to YES Emergency Shelter.
• Dana VillageminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerApartment community offering affordable and safe homes to residents in need. Accepted youth for independent housing after YES program.
• The Kim FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner that led Wellness Wednesdays session, creating personalized wellness kits for youth.
• First National Bank of Omaha (FNBO)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLed financial literacy sessions during YES weekly program meetings, teaching budgeting, saving, and financial planning.
• Harrison's PlaymakersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDelivered donation of clothing, supplies, and essential items for youth served by YES.
• CarvanaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEmployees donated clothing, winter coats, and toys to YES, directly supporting young people.
• Southern Glazer's Wine & SpiritsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEmployees created heartfelt messages of encouragement for inclusion in pantry bags, hygiene kits, and resources for youth.
• Safe Place NetworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational youth outreach program. YES is Safe Place representative for Omaha metro, recruiting sites like QuikTrip and YMCA to provide immediate help for youth in crisis.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Covenant House: The largest privately funded nonprofit in the Americas serving youth experiencing homelessness and trafficking, operating shelter, transitional housing, and street outreach in 34 cities. Directly comparable to YES in target population, service mix, and faith-informed nonprofit model.
• YouthCare: Seattle-based nonprofit serving youth ages 12-24 experiencing homelessness with emergency shelter, transitional housing, drop-in services, education, and employment programs. Highly comparable operating model and population focus to YES.
• Broadway Youth Center (Howard Brown Health): Chicago drop-in center for LGBTQ+ and homeless youth offering housing referrals, healthcare, mental health, and case management. Comparable to YES in affirming LGBTQ+ youth services and integrated health-and-housing model.
• Larkin Street Youth Services: San Francisco-based nonprofit offering housing, drop-in services, mental health, education, and workforce programs for homeless and at-risk youth ages 12-24. Closely mirrors YES's continuum-of-care structure and age range (16-25), serving a similar population with similar services.
• Boys Town: Omaha-headquartered nonprofit providing residential, educational, and wraparound services to at-risk youth and families. Highly comparable to YES due to shared Omaha geography, overlapping youth-services mission, and similar continuum-of-care model including housing and case management.
• The Night Ministry: Chicago-based nonprofit offering housing, youth programs, and outreach services for people experiencing homelessness and poverty. Comparable service array and youth-focused programming, with similar street outreach and supportive housing approach.
• Sasha Bruce Youthwork: Washington DC nonprofit providing shelter, transitional housing, workforce development, and family services for youth experiencing homelessness and unstable housing. Comparable in scale, mission, and integrated services including strong community partnerships.

Broad incumbents

• National Safe Place Network: National umbrella organization that YES partners with as the Omaha metro Safe Place site. While not a direct operating peer, it is the national network providing infrastructure, training, and crisis-line services that connects YES's local Safe Place operations to a broader system.

Regional players

• Project Everlast: Nebraska-focused nonprofit supporting youth aging out of foster care and experiencing homelessness with housing, education, and connections to resources. Direct referral partner of YES (referred the Colby case) and operates with a similar youth-housing mission in overlapping Nebraska geography.
• Heartland Family Service: Omaha-area human services nonprofit providing housing, mental health, and youth services across eastern Nebraska and western Iowa. Geographically co-located with YES and serves overlapping populations including youth experiencing housing instability.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/yesomaha
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/547784/admin
• Instagraminstagram.com/yes_omaha
• Xx.com/YESomaha

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Youth Emergency Services