In this issue: SouthSide honors Youth In Need at virtual gala with Champion for Children award, and Youth In Need celebrates National Safe Place Week.
SouthSide Honors Youth In Need with Champion for Children Award
Youth In Need was a 2021 Champion for Children honoree at SouthSide Early Childhood Center’s virtual gala on March 6. Youth In Need has partnered with nine community-based child care providers to expand its reach in providing high quality early learning programs to children throughout St. Louis City and County. Ninety-six of the 336 child care partner slots are at SouthSide.
At the gala, Jackie Weaver, SouthSide’s Program Director, said, “Youth In Need staff have always been amazing partners and they continuously put children, families and staff first, and this past year was no different. They have been instrumental in helping us navigate the challenges of this past year, providing federal relief funds that went directly to support the COVID-19 pandemic. Their mantra was ‘whatever is reasonable, feasible and safe.’ ”
Thank a Safe Place
Join Youth In Need in celebrating National Safe Place Week March 21 – 27! It’s a time to recognize Safe Place agencies, Safe Place locations, community partners and volunteers for the work they do to support this safety net for youth. An outreach and prevention program for youth in crisis, Safe Place partners licensed local agencies with trained businesses to provide immediate help and safety for young people.
The pandemic presented significant challenges in service delivery during a time when youth needed help more than ever before. However, Safe Place was able to continue its services. Locally, Youth In Need’s Safe Place program received 74 Safe Place calls, and 25 youth walked in to a Safe Place business seeking help. The largest Safe Place provider in the country, Youth In Need has 523 stationary sites and 379 mobile sites in its network of trained businesses. Recently, familiar businesses like Starbucks and Schnucks Markets have signed on to the program, making this critical community safety net even more accessible to youth in crisis.
