My House Awarded $4.38 Million Grant from Mat-Su Health Foundation to Support Carson-Cottle-Center and Expanded Services for Youth

My House Awarded $4.38 Million Grant from Mat-Su Health Foundation to Support Carson-Cottle-Center and Expanded Services for Youth

Contributed by Isaac Smoldon

MY House is excited to accept a three-year $4.38 million grant from the Mat-Su Health Foundation (MSHF) to support critical ramp-up costs and organizational infrastructure as it prepares to fully occupy and operate the new 33,000-square-foot Carson-Cottle Center.
This investment supports the opening of the Carson-Cottle Center and the expansion of staffing and systems needed to sustain MY House’s growing housing, treatment, and workforce development programs. The funding strengthens core administrative capacity ensuring MY House is prepared to meet increasing demand and continue to serve vulnerable youth with excellence and accountability.

“We are incredibly grateful to have received this funding from the Mat-Su Health Foundation. This grant allows us to build critical infrastructure in anticipation of the completion of the Carson-Cottle Center in December, supporting expanded services for homeless youth and our community,” said Michelle Overstreet, MY House CEO. “The process of working with the MSHF team has been very positive and encouraging, and this effort is truly a testament to the life-changing work our community can accomplish when we work together.”

A cornerstone of this project is the Carson-Cottle Center Café, which will provide daily meals for residents in MY House housing and treatment programs while also operating as a public-facing community café. More than a meal program, the Café is a job-training hub where youth gain hands-on experience in food preparation, customer service, teamwork, and workplace professionalism in a commercial kitchen that mirrors real-world industry standards. The Café also serves as a welcoming space that reflects MY House’s belief that food is love and that every young person deserves to feel accepted, valued, and cared for.

“Mat-Su Health Foundation is proud to support MY House as they expand their capacity to serve some of our community’s most vulnerable youth,” said Esther Pitts, President and CEO, Mat-Su Health Foundation. “The Carson-Cottle Center represents a comprehensive, forward-looking approach to housing, recovery, workforce development, and prevention. This new resource will fill gaps in our behavioral health continuum of care and provide safety, stability, and security so our youth can thrive.”

At MY House, homeless and at-risk youth are welcomed, housed, trained, offered recovery services, and included in community awareness and prevention activities. The Carson-Cottle Center is scheduled to begin operations in December of 2026.