June 2026 Newsletter

The Harbour Light

April 2025

From the Executive Director

Melody Rose driving the pink Jeep at the 2025 Buffalo Pride Parade

Dear Friends:

In the January Harbour Light, we told the story of Kaylyn Ahn, an amazing young woman who was the recipient of our 2025 Youth Leadership Award.

We believe every young person can become a leader. At The Harbour, leadership means helping youth develop the confidence to raise their voices, pursue their passions, and be their own advocate.

The Harbour’s Youth Advisory Board (YAB) is an opportunity for graduates and current residents of our programs to explore that potential. The YAB’s ten participants are our voice of experience. They contribute their perspectives on our mission to support homeless youth, and contribute their ideas on how we can fulfill that commitment more effectively. Kaylyn is the current YAB consultant. She, along with Harbour staff facilitator Jane Shea Mannard, plans the group’s agenda and activities.

I thought you would enjoy having “a seat at the table” during the YAB’s first meeting of the new year on January 25. The following summary of that event brought me joy on multiple levels. The YAB can make a significant difference for Harbour residents. Read on to meet this exceptional group of young people.

Best wishes for 2025,

Melody Rose, LCSW

Executive Director

Harbour Board Member Advocates for Youth Health and Community Engagement

Housing instability makes ordinary circumstances precarious. Living on the street is like balancing on the edge of a cliff. A misstep, an accident, or even a common medical problem can have serious consequences. Dr. Megan Stock and her team of family medicine residents help ensure that youth who shelter at The Harbour are screened for medical issues that could compromise their health or the safety of their housemates.

Dr. Stock is a family medicine physician and associate program director in the Family Medicine Residency Program at Advocate Lutheran General Medical Center. In addition to caring for patients in her practice, she is responsible for supervising 27 medical residents as well as helping to shape their curriculum.

Three years ago, when The Harbour needed a clinician to provide incoming residents with medical screening, Dr. Stock was quick to volunteer. “Community health is one of my ongoing passions. I have a master's degree in public health. Throughout my training, I’ve been consistently involved with homeless shelters and volunteering. I’m currently in charge of our community outreach activities.”

Seeking Long-Term Solutions

“One of my ongoing challenges is figuring out how our residents can offer sustained community support instead of just a series of one‑off efforts,” Dr. Stock explains. “Health fairs and outreach events matter, but I’m always looking for ways our team can serve on a long‑term, consistent basis and weave public health into the everyday life of our surrounding neighborhoods. Our work with The Harbour is a strong step in that direction.”

Advocate residents visit the shelter every Wednesday afternoon. Newly arrived youth complete an assessment that summarizes their general health and any potential exposure to communicable diseases.

“We review the form together,” Dr. Stock explains. “For some young people, it opens the door to a longer conversation. They’re looking for someone who will really listen, and they begin to share their medical history and even the circumstances that led them to the shelter. Others limit the dialogue to the questions on the page, and that’s okay. We know this moment can be overwhelming. They’ve just arrived at The Harbour and are navigating multiple life changes. They may not be ready to trust us or any adults. We respect that vulnerability.”

Reshaping Awareness/Inspiring Activism

Because this visit takes place in the shelter, Dr. Stock’s team refers youth who need more extensive care to other providers. “I encourage them to come to our clinic—we would love to care for them and deepen our experience with this population. But financial resources can be challenging,” Dr. Stock notes. “A few young people are still covered under family insurance plans; many are not, and qualifying for Medicaid can be a slow, complicated process. The Harbour has some funds to help bridge the gap, and clinics like Access Community Health offer sliding‑scale fees. But it takes coordination, advocacy, and knowledge of the social service network to navigate a healthcare system that is not designed to support individuals who need financial assistance.”

Dr. Stock’s enthusiasm is reshaping awareness and activism at multiple levels. For the past two years, she has served on The Harbour’s Board of Directors, bringing clinical expertise and a grounded perspective that helps the organization make thoughtful decisions about healthcare and broader community needs. As an instructor, she amplifies that impact.

“ A lot of my teaching involves being a role model. My involvement and commitment to this work motivate medical residents to keep learning and serving marginalized patients. The shelter is geographically close, but most people barely know it exists. Residents tell me these visits are eye‑opening. My hope is that the care they provide leaves a mark—and that they carry this experience into their professional lives, whether through volunteering or similar service.”

— Dr. Megan Stock, MD., M.P.H

The Harbour Board of Directors

Dr. Stock sees outreach as a core part of her Board role. “One of my biggest responsibilities is spreading the word about The Harbour’s mission,” she explains. “Once people understand what we do, they get excited and want to help. That awareness also makes us better physicians. We learn to ask about housing stability, food security, and support systems. It opens our eyes to the reality that youth homelessness is happening right here in our own community. You can look away, or you can choose to see it, ask how you can help, and make a difference—no matter how big or small.”

Physical, Mental, and Health Risks for Homeless Youth

Youth homelessness is not just a housing issue. It’s a layered health care challenge impacting nutrition, chronic disease, trauma, and access to care. These facts tell the story.

Homeless youth face high rates of malnutrition and hunger because they lack steady access to nutritious food, which weakens immunity and harms growth and development.
Living on the streets or in crowded shelters exposes youth to infectious diseases such as flu, pneumonia, tuberculosis, hepatitis, and HIV/AIDS.
Chronic conditions like asthma, diabetes, and hypertension often go untreated or poorly controlled due to lack of insurance, transportation, and regular care.
In one study, 26% of young adults experiencing long‑term homelessness reported a physical health condition, compared with 16% of those with shorter episodes.
Homeless youth are far more likely to experience sexual violence and coercion and to report pregnancy or getting someone pregnant, sometimes at rates ten times higher than housed teens.
In a Michigan study, only 37% of homeless youth had seen a doctor or nurse in the past year, compared with 76% of housed youth, underscoring major barriers to basic healthcare.
Homeless high school students are more than twice as likely as housed peers to go to school hungry; in one survey, 33% had skipped breakfast in the past week versus 14% of housed youth.

Support to The Harbour keeps young people in our community safe. We are grateful to volunteers, like Dr. Stock, and to our donors for their commitment to our youth.

Be part of the solution. Make your gift to the Harbour today!

To learn more about The Harbour and the many ways that you can donate, contact

our Development team at fundraising@theharbour.org.

Visit our donation page here.

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