Since TXT 4 HELP launched almost a year ago, it has become an asset to youth service providers, parents, and youth that are looking for a Safe Place to go in a time of need. With nearly 4,400 people accessing the service since last October, TXT 4 Help is connecting youth to help in a variety of ways.

The Relatives agency in Charlotte, NC recently shared a success story with the National Safe Place office in which TXT 4 HELP played a vital role in directing a youth in a crisis situation to a Safe Place:

A young lady called our shelter scared, spoke quietly and had stated that she had been beaten by her father. She was kicked out of her home so she ran to a house of a person who was sitting on their steps outside. She used their phone to contact our agency. She did not know how to get to the agency nor did she know how to use the bus system. I had asked her the address and proceeded to use my blackberry to text SAFE to 69866, put in her address and within a minute a reply with the name of the Park and Recreation site which we just acquired in May. Needless to say she was guided to that spot where we picked her up and took her to the shelter where she is receiving adequate care and help that is needed.

- Curtis Joe, The Relatives Safe Place Coordinator

Whether it's a youth utilizing TXT 4 HELP, a Safe Place Coordinator, or a member of the community, youth in crisis are getting connected to the services they need. Advancing technology has made cell phones and text messaging available to virtually everyone, and TXT 4 HELP can provide almost instant access to a Safe Place site or emergency youth shelter. When neither a Safe Place location or a youth shelter is within a 50 mile radius, the youth is provided the National Runaway Switchboard hotline number: 1-800-Runaway where they are connected to a live person instantly.

In the future, parents and youth can try out the TXT 4 HELP program to find out where the closest Safe Place site is to their home or school. Just type the word SAFE and your home or school address (street address, city, state) to 69866 and within seconds a text message will be sent back with the closest Safe Place site or Youth Shelter. Knowing these locations in advance can help youth get access to help quicker in a time of need.

"I once heard a story about a homeless man on Hollywood Boulevard who really thought he was invisible. It is not hard to comprehend this man's slow spiral into invisibility. Once on the street, people started to walk past him, ignoring him as if he didn't exist?much like they do to a piece of thrash on the side walk. I not only feel their pain, I truly know their pain. You would never know it now, but I was a homeless person. Fourteen years ago, I lived on Hollywood Boulevard," - Mark Horvath.

Mark Horvath is on a personal mission to tell the story of homeless people across America. Horvath is a documentary filmmaker who is determined to give homeless people a voice and a face so they will no longer remain invisible to the world around them.

This summer, Horvath is embarking on a road trip across the United States with a documentary team to show the effects of homelessness across the country. Last summer, he visited over 25 cities including two Safe Place agencies, Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth in Las Vegas, and Youth Oasis in Baton Rouge, LA. This year he is interested in highlighting the Safe Place program again in hopes to get an in depth look at how our agencies provide resources to homeless youth nationally.

Maybe you've seen a Safe Place sign in your neighborhood. I know whenever I see one I smile. It's really a very cool and simple idea. When teens have a problem often they don't have anyplace to go. When a kid sees this sign they know that it is a "safe place" for them and they will be connected to real help. Gosh, I wonder how much that would have changed me when I was raising hell as a teenager?" -Mark Horvath

Horvath will be visiting Wichita Children's Home in Wichita, KS at the end of July. Toward the end of August, he will be visiting the National Safe Place office and YMCA Safe Place Services in Louisville, KY, as well as Homeward Bound/Brighton Center in Newport, KY. During his visit, Horvath will be exploring Safe Place's national approach to assist homeless youth as well as the efforts on the local level with street outreach and raising awareness about the issue.

Horvath has experienced first hand the depths of being homeless in America. After pushing himself off the streets, Horvath decided to give a face to the 'invisible people' among us by launching his website: Invisible People, where he shares short video clips of homeless people one at a time. His site has struck a cord with many for its raw visuals of homeless life. He utilizes the power of social media to draw attention to his cause and has gained a passionate following on Twitter with Invisible People and his personal account, @HardlyNormal. Amongst his followers are a diverse group of homeless advocates, non-profits, and people wanting to help make a change.

As Horvath interviews people, he inquires about their situation and usually ends with the question: "If you had three wishes, what would they be?" When having that same question countered to him, Horvath responds: "My first wish would be that people really see the reality of homelessness, and that we develop communities and work as a team to solve the problem."And the third: "I would like security and normalcy to my life, but with a name like HardlyNormal, it's never going to happen."

His outreachwork is gaining widespread attention. Ford Motor Company donated a vehicle for his 2010 Summer Road trip and most recently he won the Pepsi Refresh Grant for invisiblepeople.tv to help homeless people utilize social media to tell their story and help themselves out of poverty.

To learn more about Mark Horvath, check out his website: http://www.invisiblepeople.tv/ or you can follow him on Twitter: www.twitter.com/hardlynormal and www.twitter.com/invisiblepeople

Friday, June 18th, 2010 Singer Jimmy Wayne kicks off the 'Hot Country Nights' concert series at 4^th Street Live. This rising star has a devoted following of fans who not only are driving miles to watch him perform, but they are also emulating his passionate work for helping youth in need.

Friday afternoon a group of Jimmy Wayne fans are helping YMCA Safe Place Services in their time of need. Last week, significant water damaged the boy's dormitory area of the shelter and clean up is still underway. To help finish the restoration process, fans are gathering at the shelter at noon for lunch and then getting to work helping repaint the dorm.

"I knew a lot of fans would be driving in for the show and I thought it would be fun doing some type of work project at a local facility and a great opportunity to get to know each other," said Nicole Osmera, Regional Leader of the Meet Me Halfway Street Team.

The Meet Me Halfway Street Team are followers of Jimmy Wayne's Meet Me Halfway Campaign. Beginning on January 1, 2010 Jimmy Wayne set out on a journey to walk halfway across the United States to raise awareness about Homeless Youth and Foster Care.

"Here I am living life. I'm comfortable. I'd been on the Brad Paisley tour for a lot of the year, and I just didn't feel like I'd done anything to make a difference. I got to thinking, and I said, 'What if I walk halfway across the country to raise awareness [about youth who age out of the foster care system with nowhere to go]?'" Wayne states on the Meet Me Halfway Campaign website: www.projectmmh.org.

Since he has started his walk, fans have formed regional street teams across the country to support him and the cause; gaining awareness through social media and their website. The Meet Me Halfway Southern Region Street Team will be showing their support by volunteering from 12-4 PM at the YMCA Safe Place Services Shelter 2400 Crittenden Drive.

Running for the Solution
By: Jill Luckett

The Kentucky Derby Festival Mini-Marathon is a 13.1 mile run that is part of the many festivities leading up to the Kentucky Derby. Runners come from all 50 states and several foreign countries to partake in the scenic race that finishes in downtown Louisville. This year the race filled capacity with 15,000 entrants.

Participants sign up for many different reasons; they love running, they want to challenge themselves, they want to join a friend, they want to try something new or they want to support a cause. Several charity teams are formed to raise awareness and funds for a particular cause. This year 6 individuals came together to run for one cause: Safe Place.

Runners:

- Makensie DeRossett: New Albany, KY

- Johnny DeRossett: New Albany, KY

- Whitney Fuller: Winchester, KY

- Emily Bello: Winchester, KY

- Joseph Welsh: Louisville, KY

- Jill Luckett(me): Louisville, KY

I ran the Mini-Marathon last year for another charity and it was a great motivation for finishing the race. When I joined the National Safe Place staff in February, I thought it would be a great idea to form a running team in support of Safe Place in the 2010 race. At first, many people were interested in joining but as the race got closer the number of runners decreased. Completing a Mini-Marathon is a difficult endeavor to take on but we ended up with an amazing group of six runners.

Out of the six runners, only two, including myself, had participated in a Mini-Marathon before. It is recommended to start training at least 3 months before the race. You have to build stamina and endurance, and this is not an easy task, especially for those who are not runners. The team began training in January, slowly conquering more miles with every new week.

With all six runners having very busy schedules, the months went by quickly and before we knew it, race day had arrived. National Safe Place put together goody bags as a thank you to all the runners for their support. Safe Place t-shirts, with the runner's last names on them were also handed night before the race.

Saturday, April 24, was race day. We had to be at the starting line at 7:15am with the start gun going off at 7:30am. The sight of 15,000 runners was amazing. There was just a feeling in the air of camaraderie and slight nerves. The runners of the National Safe Place team had spoken to each other the night before and it sounded like everyone was very anxious and excited to conquer the race they had been anticipating for all those months.

My personal opinion of the race was that it was an amazing time. I do not consider myself a runner, so I was just as nervous this time around. I remember finally reaching mile 8 and thinking to myself "this really isn't that bad." One of my favorite moments of the race was running past a Fire Station, which was a Safe Place site, and having the four Firemen standing out front yelling "Go Safe Place!" It gave me an extra boost of energy that I greatly needed at that point.

I had asked other runners to share their experiences with me as well, and this is what they had to say:

"My dad and I trained together and this was our first mini. It was a great way for us to spend some quality time together and have a common interest to talk about. After I crossed the finish line I felt that I had really accomplished something! I'm already looking forward to running my next Mini and maybe even a Marathon." - Makensie DeRossett

"It was an amazing day for me as I got to coach my sister through her first half marathon. She had a very positive attitude and never stopped smiling. We appreciate the support of National Safe Place and the neat t-shirts with our names on the back. My favorite part of the race was in the first few miles when we were heading up the hills in the park and some people were passing us on both sides. Whitney confidently said "I think a lot of these people that are passing us are going to slow down and we're going to end of passing them soon!" I thought it was very cute how confident she was and she was correct. We did end of passing a lot of folks who came out fast in the beginning. Slow and steady wins, right?" - Emily Bello

"The Derby Festival Mini Marathon was a great experience for me. I only decided to run it in January having never really even run a mile before. I was able to train with my dad and then run the actual race with my sister, a professional runner in my opinion. She was so encouraging and it was such a great moment for us when I crossed the finish line. I would definitely do it again and am thankful for the push from Jill and National Safe Place to set a goal and achieve it. I am certain it will not be my last mini marathon and am excited to keep running!" - Whitney Fuller

In the end, I think the 2010 National Safe Place Team was a success. I am very proud of all the runners for sticking with the training, helping raise $400 and gaining awareness for Safe Place. The kids that Safe Place serves are usually running from the problem, the six individuals who completed the 2010 Mini-Marathon were running for the solution.

National Safe Place, in collaboration with Indiana University, have their first academic article featured in the Journal for Youth and Adolescence highlighting the effects of the Safe Place program for youth in need.

National Safe Place: Meeting the Immediate Needs of Runaway and Homeless Youth

Abstract: An estimated 1.6 million youth run away from home each year. While on the run, these youth are vulnerable to exploitation, victimization, increased dangers and perpetration of criminal behavior. Runaway and homeless youth are far more likely to engage in substance use and delinquent behavior, drop out of school and suffer from sexually transmitted diseases and mental illness at greater rates than the norm. Timely and direct intervention in runaway and throwaway cases is imperative to protect youth from the high risks of living on the streets. National Safe Place is an outreach and prevention program that is uniquely designed to provide immediate safety and access to services for any youth in need. In partnership with over 360 youth serving agencies and over 10,000 businesses and community organizations across the United States, the Safe Place program educates youth about alternatives to running away and homelessness and provides easily accessible links to service providers. Ongoing data collection indicates that National Safe Place has been successful in reaching endangered youth at risk of abuse, neglect or serious family problems but that expanded program models remain needed. The challenges and successes of current programming and the future of National Safe Place program expansion are discussed.

April is Volunteer Appreciation Month!

In recognition, National Safe Place would like to thank all of their amazing volunteers across the country! Across the US Safe Place Agency's utilize many types of volunteers including: community members, AARP, AmeriCorps VISTA, High School Sevice Outreach Clubs, Students on Alternative Spring Breaks, and College Service Clubs.

National Safe Place has had the honor of utlizing all of these types of volunteers. Most recently, 13 students from Northwestern University for an Alternative Spring Break. During their week of service they learned about the Safe Place program, created their own PSA for Safe Place and TXT 4 Help, analyzed and discussed Safe Place procedures, outreach materials, social media, website, Safe Place trainings, and Public Service Announcements (to name a few...) and participated in checking Safe Place sites across Louisville, KY to make sure they were up to date on procedures and had all necessary materials.

At the close of their week they presented a presentation to staff with their suggestions for improvement and expansion as well as what they learned while working with us. Below we share a few of their reflections from their week of service to National Safe Place.

To be honest, I was a little uncertain as to whether or not I wanted to spend my last spring break in college volunteering. I've been on other ASB trips where sites were disorganized or simply gave us busy work ? this was not the case with NSP and I am blown away by the attention we were given throughout the week. I felt that the organization extended a truly caring attitude and truly wanted us to learn. I am so impressed by everything Safe Place does and so appreciative to have participated in this great organization's mission for the week. I also had a lot of fun (thanks to Chrissy and Jill for everything and especially the scavenger hunt!) and greatly enjoyed the chance to see Louisville beyond the basic tourist experience. I learned so much about the area and most importantly about non-profit work, which is a field I plan to enter when I graduate. It was only a week, but the experience was invaluable and I cannot think of a better way to have spent my break. I can't wait to hear of Safe Place's growth and success in the future and I know every time I see the sign I'll remember what I've learned here. Thanks so much for everything!

Sincerely,
Melissa Riepe

This week has been extremely rewarding! It is an understatement to say Safe Place has really made an impact on the way I view homeless issues. I always knew that being homeless was "sad or bad", but Safe Place really emphasized that teen homelessness can be "dangerous".

First, we can't thank you all enough for being so organized. I have worked at 5 different sites and Safe Place was by far the most prepared and enthusiastic. It made my week as a leader, extremely more enjoyable and less stressful. Everyone at Safe Place was very kind to us and patient ? since we are a large group of 13!

The educational aspect of the trip was on point. I appreciated the diverse approach between listening, discussion, action, and reflections. This is key! It was so beneficial to change it up. The entire week was engaging and appealing to each student with a different interest. I'm glad that we were able to provide help, but this is a case where we got out of it a lot more than what we gave.

It was simply amazing!

Thanks Again,
Miles Drummond

Thank you so much for everything you've done this week! I can't begin to describe all the things I've learned, whether about how a national non-profit organization works or even just about Louisville itself. Your organization has taken on such a huge undertaking and it amazes me to no end the amount of enthusiasm and optimism with which you go about your work. Coming here, I didn't have a great idea of what I'd be doing and I had some reservations about how much we'd be able to help, but the staff here has been incredibly professional and helpful and has taught us so much about the organization. I think we all felt extremely lucky to be working with a group that value our opinions so highly and are so willing to hear our criticisms. I loved that we were able to see and participate in so many aspects of Safe Place ? whether more conceptual things like looking at PR or more hands on things like site-checking. Your hard work and dedication is really inspiring, and I wish Safe Place much good luck in the future!

-Jenn Kau

I had a fantastic time this week! I especially enjoyed site-checking. Although it was sometimes demoralizing when some sites didn't have their materials, I felt like I was making a difference so that if a kid needed a Safe Place, he/she could go to McDonald's and the employees would know what to do. Thanks for giving us an inside look into how a non-profit runs!

-Elisha Redish

First off, thanks so much for having us. I learned about non-profits in general, from running one to executing various procedures. Also, I learned more about teen homelessness. I'm glad we actually got to go out and actually helped out with something tangible like site checking and experience it firsthand.

-Katherine Wang

Overall I really enjoyed this experience. It was eye-opening for me to see the day-to-day operations of a non-profit organization. I didn't really know what it takes to run such an organization. Safe Place is doing some wonderful things. However, I feel there is still a lot of room for improvement. I feel like Safe Place needs to have more closer contact with its sites. Many "sites" no longer existed, did not have materials or were simply unaware of standard procedures in case a child comes in for refuge. I feel like this defeats the purpose of Safe Place. Also, the website definitely needs a face-lift. However, Safe Place definitely has a huge scope and has made some real positive changes to suffering teens. Keep up the good work!

-Daniel Omondi

Thank you so much for a great week. I really enjoyed working at and learning about Safe Place both from the national and local perspectives. I was very excited to arrive and learn more about what Safe Place was. After understanding all that you do, I'm really impressed and amazed at the scope of your organization. The idea of providing a local place for children to go to when they are in danger/afraid, is so important and I think generally overlooked so I'm glad to be able to help. I hope Safe Place can spread throughout the nation and I definitely will spread the word in Chicago when the signs start appearing. Good luck with all your endeavors. I hope we were able to help you with our comments, ideas, and site checking. I'm so glad I got to meet all of you at NSP, it has definitely been an unforgettable experience!

-Lisha Tomas

This week has been a very interesting experience for me. It was really exciting to work directly with the people who run a big organization and have the chance to influence and help improve the way it's run. I especially enjoyed doing site checks because we got to directly work with others and accomplish a lot. I feel that I learned a lot about how large non-profits work this week.

-Dara Shapiro

National Safe Place Week is next week! March 14-20! Our next success story comes from Fort Worth, TX:

ACH Child & Family Services

A 17-year-old girl was transported to a Safe Place site from a local hospital. When a counselor met with her, she reported that she actually lived four hours away from the area, and was here visiting her boyfriend. She said that she met her boyfriend online and had been communicating with him via chat and phone for the past six months.

He picked her up at her house last week and she immediately found out that he was not who he said he was. He told her that he was 18, but she found out that he was actually 22. He would not let her out of his house or allow her to use a phone unsupervised. He became violent with her when she questioned these things, so the girl was afraid she would not be able to get out.

One day he began to use several drugs and became extremely violent; she knew she had to get out. When she attempted to leave, he beat her up severely: punching her and kicking her all over, dragging her by her feet and choking her. She was finally able to get away to a neighbor's house, where 911 was called.

While she was at the hospital, it was determined that she could not return home because her father had no means of transportation and no money for a bus ticket. She was then referred to Safe Place. While the counselor was meeting with her, she stated that she never filed a police report on her boyfriend and wanted to do so. The counselor was able to assist her in this. The counselor was also able to connect with Traveler's Aid DFW, a Safe Place site, and they agreed to give the girl a reduced bus ticket home the following day. She was able to stay at our shelter for the night, then return home to her dad the next afternoon.

Today's success story comes from Family Connections, Inc., Franklin, IN

A male youth at the local school had always been an A/B student, was on the basketball team, and well liked by his peers. The youth had always gotten along with his father as well until this last year. He had begun to struggle in school and had just quit the soccer team after getting into a fight with another player.

Teachers had begun to complain about his behavior in class over the last couple weeks. The school counselor had called the youth into his office to find out what was going on. It was then that the counselor learned that he was no longer living at home. The youth had ran away from home and had been staying with various friends ever since. This had been going on for two weeks.

Fortunately, the counselor was well aware of the Safe Place program at Family Connection and placed a call to Family Connection for help. After talking with the male youth about the program, he agreed to come to Family Connection for a safe place to stay rather than staying with friends. Also, the counselor contacted his father to help make arrangements for them to come to Family Connection together that afternoon.

At first, the youth refused to talk about his story. All he would say was that he got into an argument with his father and left. After a few days, he started to trust the staff and decided to share his side of the story. It turned out that he had run away from home after having an argument with his father. In the past year, the arguments with his father had increased due to his declining grades. The youth also said that his father had stopped trusting him after he found out that he would skip soccer practice to hang out with his girlfriend of whom the father strongly disapproved.

As his grades continued to slide and as he continued to find ways to see his girlfriend, his father became increasingly stricter and would not allow him to do what he wanted. Soon, he found his grades declining, soccer gone, and his relationship with his father destroyed.

Then, one weekend, the youth and his father had a huge argument in which both of them started yelling, and the young man made the claim that he hated his dad and he no longer wanted his father to be his father. At that, his father said, "Fine, then leave; this is no longer your home."

While the youth was working with the staff at Family Connection, the staff was also working with his father who also regretted the words he said. The father just wanted help and thought his son would eventually come home and regret those words. However, his father desperately wanted him back at home and wanted to get some help for their relationship.

One of the counselor's at Family Connection met with the father and son on a regular basis to try to help them work through some of the issues they had as a family. While it took a couple weeks, both of them were able to apologize for their words and were able to begin to talk about the real issues that were going on in each of their lives.

After spending three weeks at Family Connection, the youth and his father were ready to return home and resume their lives together. While there were still some issues, the father and son continued in counseling together to work through some of those issues.

However, both of them were equipped with the skills to try to better deal with conflict and their anger. The youth was also able to see why his father was so hard on him about his grades. He was able to improve his grades by the end of the year and show his previous commitment to school. He also decided to sign up for basketball this coming year, as it was one of his passions in life.

National Safe Place Week is March 14-20, 2010, today's success story comes from Omaha, NE

Youth Emergency Services, Omaha, NE,

A male youth called the Safe Place hotline on December 30, 2008. His mother and step-father had not been able to accept his lifestyle and had forbidden him to return home. He couch surfed from relatives to friends for several weeks. The day he called the SP hotline, he said he had decided he had had enough and wanted to change his life. He was tired of not having a "home".

Staff picked him up and talked to him about the Emergency Shelter and Transitional Living programs that Y.E.S. offered. He was thrilled to have the possibility of somewhere he could call home. He was brought to the YES Shelter and was provided with a safe place to stay and begin his new life.

He found out he was eligible for a scholarship and was able to begin college, learning the skills to become a beautician. He has since, moved into the YES Transitional Living Program, where he continues to go to school, and work part-time. He tells the staff often how grateful he is that he decided to make the phone call that day.

In honor of National Safe Place Week, March 14-20, 2010, here is our next success story from Noblesville, IN:

Promising Futures of Central Indiana, Noblesville, IN

On Jan 5th, a call was received at Hamilton Centers Youth Service Bureau (a Safe Place site) stating that a 17 year old male child was going to be homeless. He would be homeless because his mother was in a Nursing Home/Rehab Facility due to an illness that resulted in a medically necessary surgery and extensive recovery. Because she was in a nursing home, her 3 children had no place to go.

Of the 3 children, (17, 16, & 10) 1 was placed with family & another with a social service agency; however, the 17 year old child was having difficulties being placed. This is where HCYSB Safe Place & Host Home Coordinator began action and made several calls to volunteers and was able to find a placement for him. During his placement with the volunteer family, it was imperative that permanent placement for the client be found because it was uncertain if or when his mother would recover and leave the nursing home/rehab facility rendering him homeless after the brief stay with the volunteer family.

There was only one possibility for this youth to get his life on track and a stable living arrangement. So a call was made to the only possibility, a Transitional Living Program in Indianapolis, IN, and an appointment was scheduled to complete the client in-person interview. Both the client and coordinator went over both personal and professional interview-like questions of things that may be difficult for him to articulate. With this preparation, the client interviewed well and was accepted into the program.

We were both excited because this is giving him the chance to become the teacher he wants to become and a self-esteem boost. He has taken the SAT Exam, secured a job, and appears to be on the right path. He has been very gracious for the services that were extended to him through HCYSB Safe Place & Host Home Coordinator.

National Safe Place Week is March 14-20, 2010. To show our appreciation to all of our amazing agencies and Safe Place sites acorss the United States we would like share their success stories to provide a reminder of why we do what we do everyday.

ACH Child & Family Services, Ft. Worth, TX

A high school counselor brought two teenage sisters to a QuikTrip before the end of the school day. They reported that their parents were severely beating them. These girls, ages 16 and 15, had bruises and welts covering their bodies. They stated that they had been hit with belts, boxing gloves, extension cords and blind switches the night before. Their parents accused them of stealing a camera and did not believe them when they denied it.

The girls both said that they and their siblings had been hurt by their parents several times in the past, but were afraid to tell anyone. They said that, in the past, asking for help with what was going on at home only made things worse for them later. A counselor transported the girls to the shelter and made a report to Child Protective Services. A CPS worker came out the next day and decided to take custody of the two girls and their five sisters.

At the last report given, all the siblings were going to two different foster homes for a short time, with the goal that they can all be in the same foster home in the very near future. They are in homes very close to each other, so they are all able to be together daily.

In honor of National Safe Place Week coming up, National Safe Place would like to highlight great success stories from our agencies across the United States.

Today's Success Story:

The Salvation Army Glendale, Glendale, CA

A young man called in one evening after reading a Safe Place poster in the local mall. He said, "Thank you so much for answering, I really need help." He had been homeless for weeks since he discovered that his mother was stealing from him to feed her alcoholism.

He told us his mother provided nothing for him in her house, no food, nothing but a string of boyfriends. The last one had indicated that the young man was no longer welcome.

By the time the young man called Safe Place, he hadn't slept or eaten in three days. He was suicidal, certain that if he died no one would even notice. He was anxious to accept shelter and any benefits available to him. All he wanted to do was join the National Guard and get off the streets until he could enlist.

He called back to Safe Place to check in everyday for the next two weeks; we were the only ones he felt cared that he was alive.

By: Aimee White

I've often joked to my friends and family that they should've handed me a food stamps application when they gave me my college diploma. Everyone always laughs, but it's true: I'm a 22 year old college graduate on food stamps.

I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth by any means, but my parents did what they could to provide for my brother and I and we never went without. We didn't necessarily have things in excess, but we were always fed, had clothes on our backs, and a roof to sleep under. In essence, I was very lucky.

So you can imagine that it was a hard pill to swallow to have to apply for food stamps once I became an AmeriCorps VISTA member. It's an even more humbling experience to have to find the Department of Human Services building and to write your case worker's name on the outside of your envelope. I have to think to myself, "I have my bachelor's in social work, yet I have a case worker?" It's always a bit ironic.

The truth is, no one is above receiving help. Being a VISTA is an excellent opportunity to not only help those living in poverty but to really relate to them the best that we can. It's hard to gain people's trust and to prove to them that you're capable of helping them, but it's even harder when either of you sense an imbalance in privilege. I have always felt very lucky to have been given the opportunity to get a college education, and I feel like I would be wasting it if I didn't use to help those less fortunate than me.

Reading how to help someone out of a textbook and actually doing it are two totally different things, and AmeriCorps has given me the chance to learn that firsthand. Although I work at building the capacity of my local branch of Safe Place instead of directly with the youth, I can still see the benefits of my outreach every day. No matter how little it seems like I'm accomplishing some days, I know that it's more than this program had six months ago, and it's enough to make me proud.

Aimee White is a VISTA for the Safe Place Program at LINK House in Kingsport, TN

^{By: Lisa-Sun Gresham}

Every day I am reminded of how daunting life can seemingly be facing the struggles of living at the poverty level. Unexpected accidents, a car breaks down, a sudden and unforeseen illness, budgeting for food, gas, rent and utilities while working diligently to keep warm, safe, and dry is a challenge for anyone regardless of status, prestige, or income. The circumstances of life pile up like mountains before our very eyes but that isn't the hardest part, what it really boils down to is that it is not hard to climb a mountain, it is hard choosing which mountain to climb first. When you have troubles many times it looks like nothing will improve, that any effort is a drop in the bucket, and I can say that I am happily adding myself as one more drop.

Looking back I had just graduated from college with three choices: AmeriCorps, Graduate school, or trying to find a job. My decision was AmeriCorps which is what brought me to YMCA Safe Place Services hundreds of miles away from home. I truly wouldn't have it any other way because I have gained friendships, camaraderie, skills to live independently, and a bountiful wealth of knowledge about the non-profit sector, as well as personal growth and self-revelatory experiences. I wondered what it meant to "build capacity" for my agency and so far my greatest contribution has been research, writing and editing grant proposals. I never thought I would learn so much in-depth information about the various programs here just by writing.

Each component of Shelter House, Y-NOW, Street Outreach, and Project Safe Place is immensely valuable to the community of teens and families served here in Louisville. I typically spend my days quietly working in a back room office and as I sit, floating on the air are the conversations of the staff speaking passionately, joyfully about the daily goings on in the building. Their words give me strength, encouragement and insight into what it takes to reunify families and support the development of youth into leaders capable of overcoming obstacles.

Giving back to the community through service to others, becoming a mentor in the Y-NOW Mentoring Children of Prisoners program and learning how to listen to the often unheard voices of at-risk youth has been life-changing for me mentally and emotionally. In the face of poverty I have chosen to light a candle rather than curse the darkness, and in this way I hope to make the lives of those I touch a bit better every day.

Lisa-Sun Greshman is a VISTA for the Safe Place Program at YMCA Safe Place Services in Louisville, KY

I struggled for a week with this entry, there have been so many experiences that I could blog about. I wanted to praise Youth Services System, Inc. and all that they do within this community. I wanted to praise the executive director, John Moses, whose leadership and selfless dedication is an inspiration. I wanted to praise the community, for their support; the awesome members of "my" Safe Place Advisory Committee, who stick with me; and development director, Mike Toothman, my current supervisor, for taking me under his wing.

I know that it appears that "I" am doing great things here in my VISTA assignment; I don't see it that way. Great things come from the energy and support of the amazing individuals that I have around me.

Why do I serve? That is simple; I serve because I was asked to. When I hit a brick wall or get overwhelmed, I remind myself that I am here for a reason. Sometimes it is just about this day, sometimes this moment. I may never know the purpose for my being here, or the difference that it may make. It doesn't matter; I just feel honored to have been chosen.

The late Ron Mulholland, founder of Youth Services, Inc. said, "A statement made in clear and unequivocal language-we care about kids. That there is no other priority, or agenda other than kids, and that we individually and corporately will sacrifice ourselves for kids."

I believe in the Safe Place Program, I believe in this agency, this community-MY community. It is that passion that I believe others can see when I talk about the Youth Services System Safe Place Program. To me, that is what makes the difference.

Sondra Jackson is a VISTA for the Safe Place Program at Youth Service Systems in Wheeling, WV

Becoming an AmeriCorps VISTA happened unexpectedly for me. After graduating college, I was in search of the 'dream post-college job' that the diploma I had just received promised would be out there. However, I had unknowingly graduated at the worst time possible with the economy falling headfirst into a recession. Even though I had the magic piece of paper that was suppose to open doors for me in the job market, it didn't seem to mean so much anymore. Determined to find a job that was similar to my degree, the job posting for a VISTA at the National Safe Place office caught my eye. Not knowing what the words 'VISTA' or 'AmeriCorps' meant I soon discovered a program that would not only provide me a job that was rewarding and fulfilling but would teach me more about life than any schooling or job could.

Being a part of this program has changed me. Ghandi has said, "The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." I feel his words can sum up my experience so far with the VISTA program and National Safe Place. The goal of VISTA is to help build capacity in non-profit organizations and sustainable programs that will help communities and individuals out of poverty. Basically, being on the front lines of the war on poverty by immersing yourself in the community you are working with and experiencing firsthand what it means to live at poverty level.

Enlisting in the AmeriCorps VISTA, I had no assumptions that I could easily come into the community and solve its poverty problems. Even so, once I understood the reality of what poverty meant, how it was created and generated over and over again; I knew the job at hand was bigger than me or any one person. I accepted that the work I would be doing would only put a dent into the bigger picture yet it made me determined to make my mark in some way.

So, I jumped in head first with the National Safe Place program which is a great program for VISTA because it can help prevent poverty at the beginning of one's life. I learned all about the history of Safe Place, the goals, the programs, and the agencies. I helped launch an innovative new texting initiative titled "TXT 4 Help" so teens can quickly find a Safe Place location no matter where they are. I created a consistent presence for National Safe Place within social media and updated the forums that currently existed. I maintained a focus on editing and updating the programs of Safe Place and assisted NSP staff daily with any and all tasks and projects.

The amazing thing about Safe Place I quickly learned was the power a small group of people can have to create change and better opportunities in our communities. When you think of a national headquarters you assume a large group of people with multiple resources to create and sustain a program across the country. The National Safe Place office did not fit that criteria; though they are only an office of five, their passion, commitment, and vision to the organization is what makes it such a powerful and resourceful program around the United States. I think it is because of their passionate hard work that the program is so successful across the country through support to the agency coordinators, outreach workers, VISTAs, and volunteers.

With the Martin Luther King, Jr. day of service quickly approaching, I have been thinking about my impact as well as the impact our VISTAs in the local Safe Place agencies have had on the program. For myself, I sometimes feel that the daily office tasks seems minor to the great work our VISTAs have had in their agencies and communities; some being the only reason Safe Place is afloat in their communities. But I have come to realize our work as a whole has a Butterfly Effect. One small action puts an even bigger action into motion which in turn can create great change. All the supposed 'minor' work we do for the Safe Place program can have a greater effect on the citizens of the community in which we work.

Poverty has a similar effect. One small action such as being late on a payment or losing a job or car can send a person in a downward spiral into poverty before they know it. With the current economic state, people with degrees or high paying jobs are hitting rock bottom with one swift lay-off. Whatever impact I can make within this organization, no matter how small, I hope can have a positive effect to set in motion even bigger things to come and hopefully better the lives for the youth within our communities.

At my VISTA Orientation I learned that change is a gradual process and I will go into my next six months with Safe Place and VISTA with this thought: "To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded".