"Safe Place" Program Targets at Risk Youth

By: Bonney Bowman - Email

Posted: Tue 4:36 AM, Mar 20, 2012

Safe Place Locations Include:

Lincoln Fire Stations

U-Stop Convenience Stores

Hy-Vee Stores

Lincoln Journal Star building

Scooter's Coffee

Bay 198

The Game Room

Youth for Christ Campus Life

A declaration by the mayor hopes to highlight a program targeting at risk youth.

Lincoln mayor Chris Beutler declared it "Safe Place Week" after the Safe Place program.

Teens can go to any of 50 locations across Lincoln, including every fire station and U-Stop.

There they'll be put in contact with the People's City Mission.

They can find help and resources for any situation.

The program has been running locally since September.

Nationally, the Safe Place program has helped more than 132,000 at risk youth.

Between 1.6 and 2.8 million kids run away every year.

One third will be lured into prostitution within 48 hours.

Sometimes a safe place is all that stands between them and a life on the streets.

Teens in trouble can also text the word "safe" to 69866 to find the nearest Safe Place location.

They can also get help from a mental health professional via text message.

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