City House

No young person should have to wonder where they'll sleep tonight or whether they'll be safe.

Every day, City House walks alongside children, youth, and young adults who have experienced abuse, neglect, or homelessness—offering safe shelter, counseling, life skills, and the support they need to build independent, hopeful futures.

Thanks to compassionate supporters like you, last year we answered 624 crisis calls, provided 9,035 days of care, distributed 856 survival kits, facilitated 758 counseling sessions, and served 929 clients across our programs. Most importantly, 85% of the young adults who completed our Transitional Living Program moved into safe, stable housing.

This North Texas Giving Day, you can help write the next success story. Early giving begins August 28th, with Giving Day on Thursday, September 17. Every gift helps provide safety, healing, and hope for young people who need it most. Together, we can remind every child and young adult who walks through our doors that they are seen, valued, and never alone.

Our Story

Founded in 1988 by PISD employees Nancy Boyd and Kay Goodman, City House was built on a simple but urgent belief: no child or young person should have to face abuse and homelessness. What began as a response to unmet needs in the Plano community has grown into a multifaceted organization offering housing, counseling, and crisis intervention for children and young adults up to 24 across North Texas.

For decades, City House has stepped in during moments of uncertainty—providing 

safety, stability, and consistent support when it matters most. By meeting young people where they are and walking alongside them toward independence, we continue to respond to the evolving realities of youth experiencing neglect, abuse, and homelessness with compassion, integrity, and dignity.

Why We're Needed

In North Texas alone, thousands of youth experience homelessness each year, with many fleeing abuse, neglect, family violence, or instability. National research shows that as many as one in four youth experiencing homelessness has spent time in foster care, highlighting the critical need for safe housing, counseling, and long-term support. Here are some of the realities:

• 1 in 3 youth without housing will be propositioned for sex within 48 hours of being on the street. 
• In 2023, 71% of our Runaway Homeless Youth residents staying at My Friend’s House identified as high-risk or had confirmed victimization after being screened with the Commercial Sexual Exploitation Identification Tool. 
• Every 10 seconds a case of child abuse is reported 
• Approximately 50–70% of youth experiencing homelessness report histories of physical abuse; Up to 40–50% report sexual abuse.

In 2023, City House served a total of 1,175 unduplicated clients with a total of 9,574 days of care. We provided 2,439 hours of counseling and responded to 705 crisis calls.

We are also the designated "Safe Place" for Collin and Denton Counties.  If an unaccompanied minor enters a Safe Place and asks for help, we get the call.

---