Grand Island Shelter A Resource for Awareness and Prevention of Runaways in Central NebraskaGirls and Boys Town There is a significant number of teenage runaways in Central Nebraska," says Dave Reed, Emergency Shelter Site Director at Girls and Boys Town of Grand Island. "In fact, about half of the 300 youth we help each year are runaways." In an effort to decrease runaway experiences and create awareness in the Mid-Plains community, Girls and Boys Town in Grand Island is joining with National Runaway Switchboard (NRS) and National Network for Youth (NN4Y) to recognize November as National Runaway Prevention Month. According to NRS, an estimated 2.8 million youth living in the United States reported a runaway experience during the prior year.  "Too often, children and families don't know where to turn for help," says Reed. "Once on the street, children are more susceptible to becoming involved with deviant peers, violence or drugs, or being victimized." (Consider the attached statistics from the Midwest Longitudinal Study of Homeless Adolescents) "Prevention is key to helping our youth get back on the right road to lead successful adult lives," says Reed. By shedding light on this issue, Girls and Boys Town hopes to encourage people in Central Nebraska area to think about ways they can help prevent children from running, not only during National Runaway Prevention Month in November, but all year long. Girls and Boys Town in Grand Island is the only runaway and homeless youth shelter in Central Nebraska. The shelter is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days of the year by child-care professionals, and can care for up to 18 girls and boys ages 10 to 18. "We give them shelter and help them work through their problems. We teach them how to make better choices and try to reunite them with their families," says Reed. "The Grand Island shelter is an important resource for runaway children in Central Nebraska, but there are ways we can all help to prevent the runaway problem," says Reed. Here are some signs parents, caregivers, relatives and friends can look for to determine if a child may be contemplating running away, including:
If you suspect a child may run, find a way to talk with the child. Ask for help from a professional counselor or the Grand Island shelter (308-381-4444). The Girls and Boys Town National Hotline (1-800-448-3000) is a confidential, toll-free crisis and resource referral service available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to help children and families. The Girls and Boys Town National Hotline also partners with National Runaway Switchboard who provides crisis services and extensive programs and resources to runaways. Call the NRS at 800-621-4000 to speak confidentially with someone who can help.
For more information, or to contact Girls and Boys Town, see their website at: www.girlsandboystown.org |
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