4.2 MILLION YOUTH IN AMERICA ARE HOMELESS DURING COVID 19

-New PSA Featuring Jewel, Snoop Dogg, Kate Bosworth, Dermot Mulroney, Shanola Hampton, Dule Hill, Lamorne Morris, and Others, To Help Homeless Youth

July 17, 2020, Los Angeles, CA – 4.2 million youth experience homelessness every year here in America, and now they are facing the additional crisis of being homeless during the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to the current situation, The Lost In America Foundation, led by director Rotimi Rainwater, has partnered with National Safe Place and the National Runaway Safeline to raise awareness and fundraise in order to provide masks, medicine, and safe housing to youth living on the street. To help further, Rainwater through support of Las Vegas Sands, has also created a special PSA which can be found HERE, featuring powerhouses such as Jewel, Snoop Dogg, Kate Bosworth, Dermot Mulroney, Shanola Hampton, Dule Hill, Lamorne Morris, and others to bring attention, help and services during this time of crisis.

“While many Americans are able to stay at home during the pandemic, homeless youth have nowhere to go, leaving this vulnerable population at a higher risk of contracting the virus due to lack of shelter” said Jewel. “As someone who has experienced homelessness myself, I believe it is imperative to provide resources to homeless youth and support the #LostinAmercia campaign, which lets them know that they are not forgotten.”

Earlier this year, director (and former homeless youth) Rotimi Rainwater’s film LOST IN AMERICA was released and chronicled a 6 year journey to shine light on the issue of youth homelessness. This powerful documentary was the first film to take a national look at the issue of youth homelessness in America and was executive produced by Rosario Dawson, and Jewel and features interviews with more than 30 youth in 15 cities, as well as politicians and public figures including Miley Cyrus, Halle Berry, Jon Bon Jovi, Tiffany Haddish, Sanaa Lathan, and Rebecca Gayheart-Dane. The film included an original song by Jewel, who was also homeless years ago.

Lost in America was the first film to take a national look at the issue of youth homelessness in America, highlighting the main issues that surround it: sex trafficking, the failure of the foster care system, and the rampant rejection of LGBTQ youth. It also examines what many organizations, politicians and other public figures are doing (or not doing) to help these youth in order to answer one major question; how, in the wealthiest country in the world, can 4.2 million youth experience homelessness every year. Featuring interviews with Jewel (executive producer), Rosario Dawson (executive producer), Tiffany Haddish, Miley Cyrus, Jon Bon Jovi, Halle Berry, Sanaa Lathan and others, this film gives an unflinching, honest look at what these youth have to endure just to survive, and why as a nation this is one epidemic we just don’t want to see. More than a film, Lost in America is a movement. It started with one man’s journey to finally face his own past on the streets, and has now become a clarion call to the entire country to stand up, and be a voice for the most vulnerable of youth. Because the goal for the entire team, and the film, has always been to make sure that no other child ever has to be… Lost in America.

For more information on the Lost In America Foundation please visit: www.lostinamericafoundation.org