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This Virtual Tour Will Change How You See Youth Homelessness Forever


How do you make the invisible crisis of youth homelessness visible?

For Crittenton Center in Sioux City, Iowa, the answer came through an innovative partnership that's changing how nonprofits showcase their impact to the world.


For 130 years, Crittenton Center has been a beacon of hope, providing wraparound care services to children, individuals, and families. As of 2025, this nonprofit continues its mission of shelter, education, and empowerment through innovative programs like the Tiny Homes Project. Thanks to a self guided immersive virtual tour created by Egents, the community can now experience the impact of these efforts firsthand—without physically stepping foot on the property.

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A Legacy of Care

Crittenton Center operates two divisions. The first is the Child and Family Development Division which offers preschool, childcare, and parenting support through its Family Resource Center. The Second is the Child Welfare and Wellbeing Division which includes the Transitional Therapeutic Home, an emergency youth shelter for children removed from unsafe environments, and the Supervised Apartment Living Program, which supports young adults aged 16½ to 21 aging out of foster care.


The Tiny Homes Project is a cornerstone of the Supervised Apartment Living Program. Launched in September 2024, these homes provide a safe, independent living space for young adults aging out of foster care.

“The tiny homes are that next step for these young adults to get that taste of independence, but still have the security blanket of a Crittenton caseworker,” says Lauren Miller, Marketing and Outreach Coordinator at Crittenton Center.

Residents learn essential life skills—paying rent, maintaining a home, and making minor repairs—while retaining access to wraparound support, preparing them for life beyond the child welfare system.


The Tiny Homes That Changed Everything

The Tiny Homes project addresses a critical issue: youth homelessness. In Iowa, young adults in foster care programs are often classified as homeless. Crittenton Center’s tiny homes combat this by offering a stable, dignified living environment. To showcase this initiative without compromising the privacy of resident's, Crittenton partnered with Egents to create an immersive virtual tour.


“When we opened the tiny homes, we held a big open house for community members and stakeholders to walk through,” Lauren explains. “But once the kids moved in, we didn’t want people touring their homes—it’s about dignity and privacy.” The virtual tour became the perfect solution, allowing the public to explore the tiny homes while respecting residents’ personal space.


Why Crittenton Center chose a virtual tour, and how their tiny homes helps to fight youth homelessness.

Bringing Impact to life, Virtually

Egents’ virtual tour offers a self-guided, interactive experience that brings the Tiny Homes project to life. Featuring a variety of angles and embedded videos, the tour highlights the design, construction, and purpose behind the homes. “It’s like being part of the open house, even if you missed it,” Lauren says. “The tour gives viewers a firsthand look and makes them feel connected to our mission.”


Lauren also provided insights into who's been exploring the tour saying that “We’ve had an array of individuals, potential clients, caseworkers from juvenile court and Health and Human Services exploring the tiny homes as potential placements for young adults aging out of foster care." The tour also attracted community members, stakeholders, and "just some of us staff as well who wanted to get another look inside the tiny homes because it was just such a great experience, and it's such a cool thing that we have to offer."


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Boosting Outreach and Engagement Efforts

For Crittenton Center, the self-guided immersive virtual tour has been a game-changer for marketing and outreach. “Instead of just talking about what we’re doing, we can physically showcase it,” Lauren says. The tour has impressed the community, demonstrating how donations, volunteer hours, and support are making a tangible difference in combating youth homelessness. Its evergreen nature means that anyone, anywhere, with a phone, tablet, or computer can explore the tiny homes “from now until forever.”


QR code of the Self-guided Immersive Virtual Tour.
QR code of the Self-guided Immersive Virtual Tour.

Recommendation for Egents

Lauren’s enthusiasm for Egents is infectious. “I’m a people person, and I automatically just love the Egents team,” she says. “I would highly recommend Egents to other organizations. Do the virtual tour. My goodness. Just do it. It’s so much fun, and it’s a really unique way to show off what you are doing."Lauren adds. The virtual tour has not only elevated Crittenton’s outreach but also set a new standard for engaging communities in meaningful causes.


Experience The Impact yourself & Join the Mission

Ready to see how Crittenton Center is empowering the next generation? Take a self-guided virtual tour and witness firsthand how they're turning the crisis of youth homelessness into stories of hope, one tiny home at a time. And if you feel so inclined, join in the fight by liking and sharing this post. You are also welcome to directly volunteer with or donate to the Crittenton Center.


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