Safe Havens for Youth TM ensures that all youth have safe after school and summer havens with opportunities to enhance academic, vocational, personal, and social skills necessary to make a successful transition to adulthood. When the school bell rings, as many as 55,000 children return home from school to an empty house each day here in our community. Latchkey kids average 20-25 hours a week alone. That's when juvenile crime triples, when more teenagers become pregnant, it is the time when there is more gang-related activity, and when young people abuse alcohol and other drugs. The after-school hours are the most dangerous for young people because of the lack of supervision.
Youth are valuable assets.
Young people need caring adults to be actively involved in their lives. They need help with homework, technology, arts, recreation, and character development. Sometimes kids just need a caring adult to take the time to listen to what's on their mind and model responsible behavior. Safe Havens for Youth TM is about community. We build community one person at a time by connecting youth and their families to much-needed services, support, and opportunities in their community.