Waking the Village launched in 1999 with a 2,300-mile bike trip across America to teach 17 youth the power of dreams and determination. The youth, ages 11 to 21, overcame homelessness, depression, and system injustice to cycle from California to Florida. Centered on the same approach of intensive mentoring and leadership training, WTV opened Tubman House in January 2003 and has been providing housing to parenting youth and their children ever since. With over 80% of our youth overcoming relationship violence, sexual assault, or exploitation, Waking the Village addresses trauma and supports youths as they stabilize housing, fortify wellness, secure jobs, and further education. Over 500 young parents and children have joined our community and over 90% maintain housing stability in the years after exit. Our current programs include:
Tubman House (2003): A community for pregnant or parenting youth (18-24) and their children as they journey from homelessness. We welcome single parents and couples, providing wrap around services and childcare at our free, licensed preschool.
Art Beast Children’s Studio (2009): Children’s art space that offers jobs to youth and connects our families to the wider community of families. This cottage industry sustains our programs and, since 2021, provides preschool care to Sacramento's children.
The Creation District (2015): Our low barrier, drop in hub for youth and young adults experiencing housing instability. The Creation District provides free, daily workshops and a recording studio that use the arts as a vehicle for career and leadership development, while co-locating services and community partners to support housing, wellness, and employment connections.
Audre’s Emporium of New Tomorrows (2017): Our transitional community provides housing to LGBTQ youth (18-21) experiencing homelessness. Audre’s serves parenting youth (and their children) and single youth.
Art Beast Child Development Center (2017): Licensed for 75 children, our high-quality center provides free care to all WTV clients and Sacramento’s low-income families through state subsidies. Centered around play based learning, Art Beast embraces curiosity and child led discovery to scaffold joyful development.
P3 Pilot (2018): Waking the Village finds housing and provides case management to 30 graduates of our housing programs that are provided a Housing Choice Voucher so that they maintain progress toward career and self-sufficiency.
Prevention and Intervention (2018): We move upstream to prevent homelessness or offer intervention through system navigation, family mediation, crisis funding, and warm hand offs. Based in The Creation District, our P&I Team works closely with community partners to address homelessness swiftly.
Muck and Wonder Preschool (2018): Licensed preschool offering care and learning on an acre of land that includes goats, chickens, and endless opportunity to explore.
Youth Employment Program (2019): We support 21 youth annually in securing jobs and developing skills to retain long term employment as they overcome homelessness. The program develops skills as youth design pop-up businesses and connects youth to subsidized apprenticeships in areas of career interest.
Teacher Brigade (2020): WTV scaffolds and fast tracks college success, paid internships, and career launch for youth becoming preschool teachers so that they enter careers with one year.
The Village (2021): Our shelter for young parents and their children offers low barrier entry and intensive services so that youth exit to best-fit, next step permanent housing.
Transitional Housing-Rapid Rehousing Program (2023): Our TH-RRH program offer housing and wrap around support to 12 households helmed by pregnant or parenting youth (18 to 24 years old) and to 12 households helmed by LGBTQ+ youth (18 to 24 years old).
Street Leaders (2023): Our youth led street outreach team connects youth experiencing homelessness to shelter, housing, and services.