Our Story – Eddy House

Our Story

Mission: Eddy House creates a safe environment for homeless and at-risk youth to develop the life and job skills necessary for sustainable independence.

Vision: End youth homelessness in Northern Nevada

Eddy House is a daytime drop-in center and overnight shelter for homeless, runaway, foster, and other at-risk youth. Eddy House works with youth to develop life and job skills necessary for sustainable independence with the goal of ending youth homelessness in Northern Nevada. No one who comes to Eddy House for assistance is turned away as we understand our role in eliminating the factors that lead to homelessness in our community. From outreach to aftercare, Eddy House meets youth where they are at and will help youth reach their success through individualized case plans. Our 24-hour facility includes an overnight shelter for up to 23 young adults and a results-oriented Community Living Program for 29 individuals. Through various programs and services and over 55 community partners, Eddy House provides vital life skills classes, workforce development, healthcare assistance, counseling, and more.

History

Eddy House was founded in 2011 by Lynette Eddy. Eddy had gone back to school and was studying for a Master’s degree at the UNR School of Social Work when as part of a school project, she decided to order a pizza and conduct a focus group at an area downtown known as “the Circle.” That afternoon, surrounded by hungry teens, Eddy heard the personal stories of the young people living on the streets of Reno and decided to take action.

Five years later, thanks to an initiative put forth by the Community Foundation of Western Nevada, the Eddy House has morphed into a drop-in resource center for Northern Nevada’s homeless youth.

Founder Lynette Eddy and her son Brian Eddy

Eddy House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded by Lynette Eddy in 2011 in Reno, Nevada. Eddy House opened in a small residential house in downtown Reno, with the mission “….to work with homeless and at-risk youth to develop life and job skills that lead to sustainable independence.” From 2011-2019, Eddy House served as a daytime drop-in center for these youth, providing restrooms, snacks, water, referrals, and a safe place to be during the day. Eddy House’s vision, however, was to create a full-service center for at-risk and homeless youth, continuing to offer daytime drop-in services, but expanding to offer emergency shelter, transitional housing, and wrap-around services.

On January 30, 2020, Eddy House opened the doors to its new facility at 888 Willow Street, a 16,335-square-foot former commercial building at the edge of the downtown Reno core. Eddy House is the owner of the new site and has renovated it into ADA-compliant client spaces (shelters, transitional housing, kitchen, computer lab, gym, clothing closet, laundry, restrooms with showers, daytime drop-in center), community rooms, and administrative offices. In addition to providing a new daytime drop-in center, Eddy House offers the region’s first short- and long-term housing program with 24/7/365 case management and wrap-around services for homeless youth, encompassing individual therapy and group therapy, trauma-informed services, access to medical care, educational attainment, financial literacy, and access to employment opportunities.

Our organization is partnering with more than 55 agencies – including more than 25 employers – to serve our clients’ needs. Eddy House is the only nonprofit agency in Northern Nevada, Eastern California, Southern Oregon, and Western Utah which serves any homeless youth aged 18-24. Our vision is to end youth homelessness in Northern Nevada.

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