Saginaw to Receive Aid for Runaway Youth

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dale E. Kildee (D-MI) announced today that the Saginaw County Youth Corporation would receive a $200,000 grant to fund the Transitional Living Program (TLP).  The Office of Children and Families, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, awarded the grant to the Saginaw County Youth Corporation to provide assistance to runaway and homeless youth.

Thousands of young people become homeless each year in the United States.  Many are runaways that have escaped abusive situations or are victims of neglect and family conflict.  Congress created the Transitional Living Program to provide long-term supportive assistance to help youth who can not return to their homes.

“While programs exist to provide immediate emergency services to runaways, the Transitional Living Program emphasizes the needs of those who can’t go home again,” said Kildee. “We cannot afford to turn our backs on these young men and women because every child deserves a safe, stable environment to foment a promising future.”

“Our community is very much in need of the services and is most thankful of being funded,” said Ronald S. Spess, President and CEO of the Saginaw County Youth Protection Council.  “Youth who are served are given the chance of becoming productive citizens versus being left to struggle on the streets.”

The Transitional Living Program provides services to homeless youth between the ages of 16 and 21 for up to 18 months and, in the cases of those who are younger than 18, an additional 180 days.  The TLP helps to provide mental and physical health care, safe and stable living accommodations, and prioritizes the development of life and interpersonal skills.