Teens warm up to cold task
Edward L. Cardenas. Detroit NewsDetroit, Mich.:Dec 27, 2004. p.B.1
Subjects: / Teenagers,Youth participation,Homeless people
Locations: / Canton Township Michigan
Author(s): / Edward L. Cardenas
Document types: / News
Publication title: / Detroit News.Detroit, Mich.:Dec 27, 2004.pg.B1
Source type: / Newspaper
ISSN/ISBN: / 10552715
ProQuest document ID: / 788888711
Document URL: / http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=788888711&Fmt=2&clientId=8832&RQT=309&VName=PQD
Abstract (Document Summary)
Teens from two Canton Township MI church youth groups are giving up the cozy confines of their homes to brave the elements to help the homeless in Detroit.
Document 5 of 5
Homeless teens need to rest easy:[Home Edition]
BRITTANY HALL. The Atlanta Journal - ConstitutionAtlanta, Ga.:Aug 24, 2004. p.A.11
Subjects: / Social services,Homeless people,Teenagers
Locations: / Gwinnett County Georgia
Author(s): / BRITTANY HALL
Document types: / Commentary
Column Name: / NEW ATTITUDES
Section: / Editorial
Publication title: / The Atlanta Journal - Constitution.Atlanta, Ga.:Aug 24, 2004.pg.A.11
Source type: / Newspaper
ISSN/ISBN: / 15397459
ProQuest document ID: / 682224171
Text Word Count / 608
Document URL: / http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=682224171&Fmt=3&clientId=8832&RQT=309&VName=PQD
Abstract (Document Summary)
Project Safe Place, a national program that originated in Louisville, Ky., was started in Gwinnett County in 1998 to help these kids regardless of their situation. A child or teenager simply goes to a location, a gas station or grocery store that displays the Safe Place logo, and says, "I need a safe place."
I got interested with homeless teens when I became a member of the Gwinnett Children's Shelter Teen Advisory Board. Yes, even Gwinnett County has homeless teenagers. The teen board is a group of 21 high school students. We get together two to three times a month and perform service projects or interact with the shelter's residents.
The project cannot work unless the community has a place for the young people to go, such as the Gwinnett Children's Shelter. The lack of an emergency shelter and fear of liability prevents Project Safe Place from locating in many counties.
Full Text(608 words)
(Copyright, The Atlanta Journal and Constitution - 2004)
As I walked to the Five Points MARTA station after a recent concert at Centennial Olympic Park, I saw hundreds of young men and women walking along with me. Most appeared headed home, as I was.
I noticed one girl dressed in jeans and a sweater walking in front of me. She looked about my age, 17. Instead of getting on the train, she walked to a secluded area of the station. A pack of teenagers was waiting for her. Curious, I watched the girl open her bag and pull out a blanket and pillow. She tried to lie down on a bench. A police officer approached her.
As my train was about to leave, I could hear the girl screaming, "I am just trying to find somewhere to sleep!"
My heart sank. Many teenagers experience the same routine as this girl because they don't have a safe, stable home. Homeless teens are not easy to count, but the National Runaway Crisis line logged more than 2,600 calls from Georgia in 2003.
An estimated 1,200 metro Atlanta kids are served by Project Safe Place, an organization that helps runaway children. These young people just do not have enough resources available. They deserve a bed to sleep in at night.
Project Safe Place, a national program that originated in Louisville, Ky., was started in Gwinnett County in 1998 to help these kids regardless of their situation. A child or teenager simply goes to a location, a gas station or grocery store that displays the Safe Place logo, and says, "I need a safe place."
The employee calls a shelter, and a representative or volunteer comes out and talks to the youth. More important, the person listens. The young person then has the option of going to a shelter while family matters are sorted out.
I got interested with homeless teens when I became a member of the Gwinnett Children's Shelter Teen Advisory Board. Yes, even Gwinnett County has homeless teenagers. The teen board is a group of 21 high school students. We get together two to three times a month and perform service projects or interact with the shelter's residents.
The residents are not too different from me; they are just trying to deal with being a teen. The teen board tries to help the kids through the situations they are going through. All of the kids go to school, either at the shelter or their regular high school.
I am also a part of the Project Safe Place Educational Team. We tell others about the benefits of having a Safe Place program in the community. Once we explain what Safe Place is, most community leaders are willing to consider it. But there is always the worry of liability.
And the project cannot work unless the community has a place for the young people to go, such as the Gwinnett Children's Shelter. The lack of an emergency shelter and fear of liability prevents Project Safe Place from locating in many counties.
Every community should have a Project Safe Place. Children and teenagers who live on the street are at risk of sexual exploitation or worse. They need a place to go, a place to sleep. They need someone responsible to take an interest in them and help them sort things out.
MARTA stations are where people go to catch trains. They shouldn't be where teenagers having trouble at home have to go to try to get some sleep.
Brittany Hall, a student at Collins Hill High School in Gwinnett County, participated in a summer journalism program at VOX, an Atlanta teen newspaper.
[Illustration]
Photo
Brittany Hall
Credit: FOR THE JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION