VISION

Everyone has a safe place to call home.

MISSION

ROOTS Young Adult Shelter partners with young adults on their journey to stability.

VALUES

  • Equity: We are committed to leading our work through an anti-racist lens and addressing other forms of systemic oppression.

  • Community: Relationships and collaboration are vital components of everything we do— we are stronger together.

  • Accessibility: Our welcoming environment meets guests as they are by removing barriers to resources and opportunities.

  • Housing-Focused: Housing is a human right, and we recognize that housing is the first step to stability.

  • Dignity: Our humanity, safety, and wellbeing are bound together. We partner with young adults to foster dignified experiencing by centering guests’ voices and priorities.

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We are on the land of the Duwamish and Coast Salish people, past and present, here at ROOTS Young Adult Shelter in Seattle, Washington. The taking of this land was done unjustly and we acknowledge the intersections of injustice that have led to this moment and the reason for ROOTS existence.   

Before the colonization and privatization of this land, homelessness was not a common problem in communities. It is a long and complicated history that has led us here. As an organization and as individuals we are committed to going beyond acknowledgement and into actions that break down barriers of injustice.

Find the land you occupy by searching your address here.

Our History, 1999 - Today

“Whatever a guest's situation, being a witness to their humanity can be the difference between someone giving up or trying to make it another day. I have learned so much from the insight and resilience demonstrated by ROOTS' guests.”

— ROOTS Anonymous

Founded in 1999 with the vision that everyone deserves a safe place to call home, ROOTS (Rising out of the Shadows) was Seattle’s first overnight shelter designed to meet the unique needs of homeless young adults ages 18 - 25 years old.

ROOTS builds community and fosters dignity through access to essential services and a safe place to sleep for young adults experiencing homelessness.

Since its inception, ROOTS has served over 8,500 unique guests and provided them with hot dinner, breakfast, laundry, showers, clean clothing, hygiene items, and referral services. In 2017, ROOTS added onsite case management, which has resulted in increased exists to housing. With young adults and other low-income persons in mind, ROOTS advocates for social justice and long-term solutions for the communities it serves.

In 2018, ROOTS’s home of nearly 20 years was sold for redevelopment. After an exhaustive search, a community member came forward and offered to sell ROOTS their former fraternity house in the U-District’s Greek Row. ROOTS purchased the 18,000+sq./ft building in September of 2019. Thanks to funding by the City of Seattle, pro bono architectural support from Miller Hull, and building development management by the Low Income Housing Institute, ROOTS was able to complete a first round of renovations and moved into its new home on March 15, 2021. This purchase ensured that ROOTS will continue to serve our community for generations to come.

In June 2021, ROOTS implemented a new staffing model that prioritized full time employment. In addition to being a more equitable and sustainable staffing model, it also increased staff wages and benefits, while providing greater expertise, cohesion, and stability within the shelter space.

In 2022, ROOTS restarted working with Miller Hull on the next phase of renovations which would allow for 24-hour programming, a housing stabilization program, and other wraparound services. ROOTS is in the middle of a capital campaign to make this vision a reality.

On any given night, ROOTS has 45 overnight shelter beds open for young people ages 18-25.