Services
Welcome! Here is an outline of services you can expect from SYMin. Our services are for young adults, 28 and under, who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
Call our 24/7 Help Line if you have questions. 512-553-3796.
Jump to the services you need most:
New to SYMin services?
Welcome! We are a ministry that works with homeless young adults ages 28 and under. We are so glad you are here and seeking help.
We offer: access to food, clothing and many other self-care items. You can find these resources and more at our Drop-In at 408 West 23rd Street, Basement, Austin, Texas.
In addition to the drop-in, our outreach teams visit the Austin Central Library on Tuesdays and Thursdays at noon and the Southside Community Center in San Marcos on Wednesdays and Fridays at 4pm. At these locations you can also get basic supplies and food.
For clients that join us at the drop-in, we have a variety of fun events and support groups that you are welcome to try out. Our full schedule of activities is located on the calendar tab of our website. This calendar is actively updated and includes any cancelations or other schedule updates.
Basic Necessities: (Food, clothing, etc)
Join us at our Drop-in Center (408 West 23rd Street, Basement) to access several different resources.
How do I get it? Be 28 and under, homeless, living outside or at risk of homelessness.
Water
Sandwiches and snacks
3 weekly shower times (M, W, F - see our calendar for details)
Camping food bag (limit 1 every 3 days)
A selection of men's or women's clothing by size (XS, S, M, L, XL, 2X, 3X), socks, underwear
Men's or women' shoes by size
Self-care hygiene and travel-sized toiletries
First-aid kits
Some harm reduction supplies
Sleeping bag (after third visit, limit 1 every 12 months)
Resource navigation cards (ID, sobriety, jobs, neighborhood resources, etc.)
Back packs (after third visit, limit 1 every 4 months)
Laundry pass good for laundry at local facility (close to drop-in). Good from time of award until end of month (must attend at least 2 groups in the month). Sign up for a laundry pass here. You will be contacted by a staff member once your pass is ready.
Free Wifi
Phone service financial support (after third visit, monthly, while funds last)
Eyeglasses voucher for exam and glasses if you can self-refer to a vision provider
Mail and package pickup (addressed to you) at Street Youth Ministry, 408 W 23rd Street Basement, Austin TX 78705. Note that packages can only be delivered to us M-F 12-4. Unattended deliveries are not accepted.
Support Groups
Our most important service at SYMin is guidance counseling. One of the main ways we provide guidance is through our safe and encouraging group times. We have several different types of groups that you can join.
Peer Support times
Men's and women's groups
Art and creativity groups
Bible studies
Prayer times
In addition to groups, our trained staff is available on site and on our 24/7 Help Line (512-553-3796) to counsel you individually as well.
We also can arrange for professional therapy via Calmerry, a cutting-edge online videoconferencing and text message based therapy service. The cost of this therapy is $65/week. You pay 1 week using SYMinU points (see below for more info) and SYMin will pay the rest of the month.
Through guidance, you will be equipped with skills to set and achieve your goals! And it is effective — clients who engage deeply in our support services perform two to four times better than clients who do not.
Many of our support groups are accessible by Zoom, so you can still join and get guidance on the go or from any place. We have several clients who even join us from out of state!
Use our calendar to find out more about times of groups. Events that are marked (V) for virtual are also held on Zoom. Zoom links are available when you click on the event. You can also find instructions for how to log onto Zoom at our Virtual Events tab.
SYMinU Learning Program
Want to increase your personal knowledge, career readiness or school opportunities? SYMin offers ways to invest in yourself through teaching videos and quizzes. These videos cover a range of topics from finances to mental health needs and soft skills.
Whenever you complete a quiz, you receive points that you can use to purchase items from our SYMinU Store! Some of our most popular rewards: backpacks, sleeping bags, tents, pre-paid cellphones, tablets and headphones!
Join us in our computer lab at 1pm on Mondays or Wednesdays to get started!
Note: Our SYMinU program is for individuals age 28 and under. You can spend your points after you turn 29 but you cannot earn any more. Points are not transferrable. You can redeem points for something and prearrange for someone else to receive the item.
Access our SYMinU app where you can find quizzes, an accurate list of items we have in our store, links to our Facebook pages and more!
Get access to our TalentLMS quizzes (learning opportunities that require login). Sign up with this form and we will create a login specifically for you.
Use this link to access the login page for the SYMinU TalentLMS quizzes. If you do not already have an account, you must sign up with the form to the right.
See what types of courses we have for you to learn from.
See what items are available for purchase with points from your submitted SYMinU quizzes.
Find out how many points you have earned by completing quizzes.
Ways to earn additional SYMinU points
Volunteer at the Drop-in Center
Volunteer on site at our drop-in center (cleaning, etc). Staff must approve any activity (and the agreed upon points) in advance.
Fill out "New to Services" Form
Fill out the form, located above on this webpage and at this link. You are not required to fill out all of the information but whatever you can provide helps us know how to help you. If you haven't interacted with us before, reach out on the Help Line too. 512-553-3796.
Attend Support Groups
All group participants are entered into a weekly raffle for 1.5 hours of SYMinU Bonus credit. One prize is awarded weekly per 10 participants. Bring more people, and more people win!
Contribute to Word on the Street
Many of our clients are very creative and talented in the arts. On a semi-monthly basis we produce a client-driven newsletter called Word on the Street. Contribute a piece of art (painting, drawing, craft, song, poem or prose) and if your piece is chosen to be published, you will receive 1.5 hours of SYMinU Bonus credit. See the most recent edition of Word on the Street here.
SYMinU Health Stability Program
Using our SYMinU Health Stability Program is an easy way to stay mindful of your daily medications. You must enroll with our staff by verifying your prescriptions. Then you just fill our our quick online form daily. Fill it in 5 of 7 days and you earn a 1.5 hour bonus!
SYMinU Vault Program
Use our Digital Vault to keep a backup of important documents. You can retrieve digital vault items by text, email or Facebook Messenger from anywhere after verifying your identity with us. To encourage use, we award the following points for helping yourself.
Copy of valid ID: 1 hour of SYMinU Points
Copy of birth certificate: 1 hour
Copy of vaccination card: 2.5 hours
Copy of voter registration card: 1 hour
SYM Community Events
Join us in our Drop-in Event Center for fun activities: share your talents, play games, watch movies, eat snacks and make new friends. Every week, we have three reoccurring fun activities (game nights, Talent Night and Friday Fun Day). We will also host parties and festivals around different holidays and on occasion go on field trips such as attending the Cirque du Soleil performance. For field trips, clients who regularly attend support groups and engage in other ways will usually get priority for limited tickets.
Game Night (Mondays @ 5pm)
Talent Night (Thursdays @ 5pm)
Friday Fun Day (1-3pm)
Breakfast Devotional (Fridays @ 10:30am)
Wednesday Family Meal (at UPC @ TBD time)
Holiday Parties & Field Trips (On occasion)
Financial Assistance
There are a few ways we can support our clients financially. To receive any financial assistance from SYMin you must be 28 and under and have attended at least three groups (in-person or virtual) in the last month.
Request through our Facebook group:
Utilities, Internet (no lease required) 25% copay.
Cell phone (no lease required).
Medical, dental, mental health (you get a treatment plan and submit for full or partial coverage; no lease required) 25% copay.
Life Change Program
Pays for a dental implant (the application requires you to explain how you exhibit stability and self care) 10% copay.
IDs, food handlers and TABC licenses, prescription copays
Vanilla Visa gift cards are available in our SYMinU store for volunteer hours worked and SYMinU points earned (limited quantity available).
Meet us on our outreaches
For those camping, we have these things to share on outreach. We are at the Central Library every Tue/Thur. We invite those interested and 28 and under to a group in the Central Library afterwards. Bus passes are available after group for transportation back to our Sunshine Store. Check our Calendar for specifics.
Sandwiches
Bottled water
Camping food bag
Men's or women's clothing and shoes (we bring a range of sizes on each visit)
Self-care hygiene and travel-size toiletries
Eyeglasses voucher for exam and glasses if you can self-refer to a vision provider
Resource navigation cards (ID, sobriety, jobs, neighborhood resources, etc.)
Receive a free bus pass
How do I get it? Text us at 512 553 3796 no later than 11am on Tue/Thur to find out where and when we will be out.
Help Line: Anytime / Anywhere
Call us to leave a message or be transferred if a guidance counselor is available. We return calls to clients as soon as possible. Text us. Facebook Messenger us. You can expect this:
Advice on Austin resources
Advice on San Marcos resources
Advice on nation-wide resources
Brief one-on-one guidance
Newly housed?
For those with legal housing on a lease as part of recovering from homelessness or enrolled in a program to end homelessness, we have these things to share in our Sunshine Store after group participation, after evening event participation or during Friday Fun Day. Check our Calendar for specifics.
Full-size personal care and toiletry items
Household cleaning items (3 items per month)
Household starter items (as available)
You get two bags of pantry items if on a lease or one bag if couch surfing or staying but not on a lease.
All camping resources listed above EXCEPT sleeping bags, camping bags
Utility support (monthly, requires active participation in groups, requires a 25% co-payment)
How do I get it? Be 28 and younger and have a lease with your name on it. Informal agreements and couch surfing are great but are not eligible for all services.
Need Support but Outside of Austin?
For those outside our service area of Austin and San Marcos, we are able to offer this service as a new pilot.
Men's or women's clothing set by size
Shoes by size
Self-care hygiene and travel-size toiletries
Redeemed SYMinU items
How do I get it? You must have sufficient SYMinU points to cover postage. We will mail only one small box. We cannot mail to a home. It must be a church, caseworker, or agency. We address them to you in care of your helper.
Receive Mail or Packages
Use this address:
Your Legal Name (street name)
Street Youth Ministry
408 W 23rd Street Basement
Austin TX 78705
Phone/Text: 512 553 3796
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