FAIRBANKS — First Avenue and Cushman Street was illuminated by a stream of soft candlelight Thursday evening as supporters of fighting youth homelessness in Fairbanks marched down the main street to raise awareness of the growing issue. The vigil is an annual event sponsored by Fairbanks Counseling and Adoption’s Street Outreach and Advocacy program and the Covenant House of Alaska. Both groups provide outreach services and basic needs to homeless teens.

During the vigil, community supporters and families gathered to honor homeless youths.

Jane Alexander, 56, held a candle in honor of her sister’s son, who ran away at 16 and was killed in gang-related violence while staying with friends in Anchorage several years ago.

“I was clueless,” Alexander said. “We thought he was just staying with friends and that he’d come back when he was ready. ... I don’t think people realize how dangerous it is for children to be out on the streets. It’s a completely different world out there.”

School district officials estimate more than 250 homeless students attend schools in the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District, a number that does not include recent flood victims from rural Alaska, preschoolers or children at private or alternative schools. Last year, the district estimates it worked with approximately 530 homeless students.

“Many people don’t realize how many homeless children there actually are in Fairbanks because they’re virtually invisible to most of the community,” said Leona McDaniels, the school district’s liaison for homeless youths. “This group is not like the chronic inebriates who we see on a daily basis. For the most part, these kids are under the radar.”

The Covenant House of Alaska reports that 42 percent of homeless youths will be physically abused and 13 percent will be sexually abused.

“On a daily basis, I see people who are in some sort of crisis,” said Sarah Finnell, a coordinator of the vigil and of the Street Outreach program. “Teens need to know that people care.”

One of the purposes of the vigil, according to Finnell, was to send a message to teens that the community is supportive in ending youth homelessness. The Street Outreach program works closely with these children, many of whom do not attend school, to see that their basic needs are being met.

“Each has a unique circumstance and different needs,” Finnell said.

In 2008, the street outreach program struggled to make ends meet because it lost federal funding during a highly competitive grant process and was forced to cut back to a $17,000 budget.

This year, the program was awarded a three-year grant from the Department of Health and Human Services and has a $100,000 annual budget.

“Things are looking good,” Finnell said. Fairbanks Counseling and Adoption has opened a new teen outreach center at 530 Seventh Avenue, behind Wells Fargo Bank. The center offers free computers for teens to write resumes and fill out job and housing applications. The center also has a full kitchen to provide meals. The program will hire two additional case workers to work with the homeless and meet their specific needs.

Some live in abandoned buildings, vehicles, on the streets, in shelters, or roam from house to house, staying with friends in a process known as “couch surfing.”

“Many chose to leave home to escape abusive situations, some are asked to leave due to other issues such as refusing to follow the house rules, teen pregnancy and others,” McDaniels said.

Schools play an important role in providing outreach services to these students.

“Not only do they provide a safe learning environment for children without homes, but schools also provide a consistent place of safety and opportunities to develop positive relationships.”

McDaniels said she’s seen many children who do not want to leave school because school is home for them.

But only a portion of the homeless population younger than 18 is attending school. Those fighting homelessness in Fairbanks agree — the community must work together to ensure all homeless youths are in safe environments.

McDaniels said she encourages students who are living on their own to remain in school and contact her if they need a ride getting there.

“If they’ve already dropped out, I encourage them to drop back in or if the traditional school setting does not work for them, we can explore other alternatives and giving up is not one of them,” she said.

To contact Leona McDaniels at the school district, call 452-2000. For more information about the FCA Street Outreach program, call 378-4392.

Contact staff writer Rebecca George at 459-7504.