LifeWorks CEO: Helping homeless youth.

LifeWorks Executive Director Reflects on Nearly Three Decades of Serving Austin's Youth

Susan McDowell, longtime executive director of LifeWorks, an Austin nonprofit addressing youth homelessness, is passing the torch as she moves to the Sooch Foundation.

McDowell recounts the uplifting experience of reconnecting with a former client, a reminder of the impact of her 26 years with LifeWorks:

“The last we heard from him, after he had done a lot of work with us, was that he was headed for a plumbing apprenticeship. And I was like, ‘Danged if he didn’t do it.’”

These encounters, offering a glimpse into the better lives of former clients, are among McDowell's treasured takeaways as she steps down. She reflects on the organization's ability to provide housing, mental health support, and pathways to education and employment for Austin's homeless youth:

“On any given night, we're serving well over 200 youth with housing or shelter in Austin where the alternative would likely be that they are sleeping somewhere not fit for human habitation… The fact that we're able to do that increasingly for so many youth — I'm just humbled that I got to be part of that journey.”

At LifeWorks, McDowell’s legacy includes the upcoming construction of “The Works III”, a 120-unit apartment complex for youth in need of stable housing. However, she emphasizes that the solution to youth homelessness goes beyond providing shelter, pointing to the traumatic impact of family disruption, especially within the foster care and juvenile justice systems.

Liz Schoenfeld, McDowell’s successor, and LifeWorks affirm the need to address these underlying issues through innovative partnerships and upstream solutions:

“We're exploring these innovative partnerships, these innovative solutions, to really try to look upstream to disrupt some of the cycles that we see happening over and over again.”

As McDowell moves on, her impact on the community will continue to be felt, and her path is sure to cross with many more thriving former clients, a testament to her dedication to building not just structures but a stronger community.