The following article appeared in Patch on March 7, 2024:
During a recent event in support of Safe Children Coalition’s ongoing Youth Shelter capital campaign, philanthropists Bob and Joan Geyer announced the $500,000 Gift Match Challenge, in partnership with Gulf Coast Community Foundation. The event was hosted by Safe Children Coalition (SCC) supporters, Joan Geyer and Jamie Becker.
“We support the building of the Youth Shelter specifically because it was designed for the safety and maximum comfort of the youth and the staff,” said the Geyers. “It will be a place of dignity and healing. With the new design, SCC will be able to more effectively serve additional youths and their families.”
The event also included an overview of SCC’s work and a Youth Shelter campaign update from SCC president and CEO Brena Slater, and a lively Q&A with SCC VP of Out of Home Care, Jill Steiner, and Director of Residential Programs, Charles Harris, moderated by SCC VP of Communications & Community Engagement, Jacqueline House.
The Youth Shelter is the only facility designated for homeless teens for Sarasota and Desoto counties; it serves youth from Manatee County as well. Many of the teens served enter the shelter because of a mental health crisis and/or a parent’s inability to cope with a youth who is out of control. For the past four years, the SCC Youth Shelter has been first or second in facility utilization out of the 16 shelters in the Florida network, exceeding contracted bed days.
Currently, the shelter is at a smaller, temporary location until the new facility can be built, which has limited the number of teens that can be helped. There are more than 2,000 teens who are homeless in the 12th Judicial Circuit (Sarasota, Manatee and DeSoto counties); the new Youth Shelter is expected to alleviate a waiting list of teens in need of shelter services.
The Youth Shelter campaign has raised over 60% of what the SCC expects the facility to cost; additional community support is crucial to getting the effort over the goal line.
For more about Safe Children Coalition, or to inquire about the Gift Match Challenge in support of building the new Youth Shelter, contact Jacqueline House at jhouse@sccfl.org or call 941-371-4799, ext. 1127, or visit sccyouthshelter.org.
