Shéiyi X̱aat Hít Youth Shelter

Emergency Youth Shelter Open 24/7

9290 Hurlock Ave.  |  907-364-7481

The name Shéiyi Xaat Hít, which means Spruce Root House, was gifted to the project by X’unei Lance Twitchell. He also gifted this beautiful video to share more about the values behind the name and how to pronounce it correctly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Any youth ages 10-17 experiencing homelessness, running away, or who is at immediate risk of either.

You can stay at the shelter if you are experiencing a gap in housing, running away from home, couch surfing, or other types of housing instability. If you’re unsure whether this describes your situation, call the shelter any time of day or night to talk to a staff member, and we can help you decide if the shelter is the right fit for you.

No. All youth have their own bedroom with a bed, dresser, and other storage options.

We recognize that many youth struggling with things like housing and homelessness may use drugs and/or alcohol as a coping mechanism. We don’t believe this means you should not have access to shelter. Youth in active use will not be turned away from shelter. That said, drugs or alcohol are not allowed in shelter for any reason. If staff finds alcohol or drugs in the shelter, it will be confiscated and destroyed and we will safety plan with you around avoiding the issue in the future.

If a youth shows up at shelter under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and are safe to be there with staff supervision, we will allow them to stay. If a youth shows up at shelter under the influence, and they are not safe to be in shelter, we will help them get medical attention, and they will be invited back once they are safe again.

Each resident’s stay will vary in length with some staying only a few nights and some staying longer, but the majority of shelter stays are for fewer than 21 days.

We can provide transportation to the shelter if staffing allows. Depending on the time of day, we may also be able to work with the staff at the Zach Gordon Youth Center to provide transportation.

When a youth arrives at shelter, we are required to contact their guardian. Other than that, we maintain strict confidentiality standards regarding who is staying in shelter. We cannot tell anyone outside of the shelter who is staying here unless we have permission to do so.

No. Generally, youth staying at the shelter should keep their routines as normal as possible, ie: going to school or work, etc. We will work with you and your guardian on what your schedule will be while in shelter.

Yes, you can have your phone and personal technology with you. We have a wi-fi network for residents’ use.

Our first priority is ensuring safety for our residents, both during their stay and after. We will work with you and your guardian(s) to determine a discharge plan – for most youth – we will work with you to get home safely. Though for some, home may no longer be an option. You will help develop your plan of care and we will support you in reaching your goals.

The Zach Gordon Youth Center is a free drop-in facility that provides food, friendly staff, and a fun, safe place to spend time.

General Information

The Zach Gordon Youth Center and Tlingit-Haida Regional Housing Authority partnered to open Shéiyi X̱aat Hit (Spruce Root House) to serve as emergency shelter for runaway and homeless youth in our community. Shéiyi X̱aat Hit is a six-bed home, serving youth ages 10-17 who have runaway, are homeless, or are at immediate risk of either.

Donations

Thank you for your interest in donating! Please contact the Shelter prior to dropping off donations: 907-364-7481

Current Needs List

  • New reusable water bottles
  • Headphones (earbuds, Bluetooth, wired, etc.)
  • New hairbrushes
  • Sweatpants/joggers (child sizes Large and up; adult sizes XS-6XL)
  • Waterproof boots/shoes (any adult sizes)
  • Gloves, hats, warm socks, handwarmers
  • New bras and underwear (all sizes/styles with preference for cotton, no-wire, or sports bras)
  • Fred Meyer and/or Costco gift cards