The Relatives Family Update
Please ensure you scroll down to read all of the recent stories in this newsletter.
It’s National Safe Place Week and The Relatives is participating in this annual celebration of the Safe Place program.
Since 1988, The Relatives has managed Mecklenburg County’s Safe Place program and, in doing so, has extended the doors of our Youth Crisis Center to every corner of our community. You may recognize the yellow Safe Place sign from QuikTrips, Bojangles, and CATs buses. Local businesses of all shapes and sizes, along with CMS schools, churches, and libraries make up the over 1,000 community locations serving as designated Safe Places for youth and adolescents.
One of my favorite aspects of the Safe Place program is the diversity of businesses and organizations who choose to provide the most vulnerable members of our community with immediate access to safety, shelter, and stability.
Trap Beauty Bar has served as a Safe Place location for the past 2 ½ years and its owner, Christine, was moved to become a Safe Place partner by the instability she witnessed during her childhood.
When Christine saw the youth and young adults served by The Relatives, she saw herself. She saw young people who have the courage to ask for help, to break free, and make a change.
“Being a Safe Place is core to our values at Trap Beauty Bar,” says Christine. “I know how it feels to have everything stacked against you and I want to offer our community’s youth a space where they can feel safe and find a positive way to break free from crisis.”
I am grateful to Christine and all the Safe Place partners in our community who create a crucial safety net for our youth.
Trish Hobson
Executive Director
Did You Know?
The staff at designated Safe Place sites are trained to contact The Relatives Youth Crisis Center whenever a child or teen asks for help. Whenever and wherever you see the yellow Safe Place sign, know it provides a connection to shelter, safety, and support for the most vulnerable members of our community.
Truist Field was the first professional sport stadium in the country to become a designated Safe Place partner location. Every year, the Charlotte Knights join The Relatives to walk a mile for Robert, an unhoused young man who was sleeping on a bench in Freedom Park.
One day, he walked the mile from the park to The Relatives Youth Crisis Center on East Boulevard where he recognized the Safe Place sign and received the help he so desperately needed. We hope you will join us in honoring Robert’s courage and the thousands of young people who have found relief thanks to the Safe Place program.
#WalkAMileForRobert with the Charlotte Knights:
Join The Relatives and the Charlotte Knights at Truist Field (324 S Mint St.) on Tuesday, March 18 at 11:00 a.m. for a one mile walk around Uptown Charlotte.
RSVP today and receive a free Safe Place t-shirt courtesy of QuikTrip, while supplies last!
#WalkAMileForRobert at On Ramp:
Join the staff and young people at The Relatives On Ramp Resource Center (2219 Freedom Dr.) on Friday, March 21 at 1:00 p.m. for a walk honoring Robert and the thousands of young people who have found relief thanks to the Safe Place program.
RSVP today and receive a free Safe Place t-shirt, courtesy of QuikTrip, while supplies last!
If you can’t walk with us, you can still remember Robert and his journey by looking for the Uptown skyline to be lit yellow the evening of Tuesday March 18 in honor of the thousands of youth who’ve found safety thanks to the Safe Place program.
Join Our Network of Safe Places
LaVeda Pinkney-Knight is The Relatives’ Safe Place coordinator. In her role, LaVeda connects with community organizations such as schools, businesses, churches, and emergency services to educate their workforce about the Safe Place program and train them on how to respond when a child seeks help at their location.
These Safe Places are throughout our community, adorned with the yellow Safe Place sign letting any youth know that they are within reach of help.
Click the video below to learn more about the role Safe Places play in our community:
If you own or work for a business that would be interested in learning about becoming a Safe Place partner, please reach out to LaVeda at LPinkney-Knight@therelatives.org.
Save The Date- We Want Your Spring Clothes!
The Relatives will be hosting a spring clothing donation drive on Friday, April 11 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at our On Ramp Resource Center located at 2219 Freedom Dr.
We are seeking new and gently used donations of the following warmer weather items:
Men’s
T-shirts
Gym Shorts
Socks
Underwear
Women’s
T-shirts
Leggings
A-line tank tops
Capri leggings
Socks
Bras
Underwear
Additional Ways You Can Help
Volunteer to sort and organize donations during this special, one-day event!
We’re thrilled to celebrate three On Ramp Resource Center young adults who earned their GEDs! This achievement signifies a major step towards their independence and empowerment.
Through On Ramp’s support, they overcame challenges and achieved this milestone. They’ll now engage in employment workshops and peer tutoring, further preparing for success.
The Relatives is committed to empowering youth through programs like GED tutoring and case management, thanks to our generous donors.
We extend heartfelt thanks to Elevation Church, Split Second Sound, and our dedicated mentors for making this celebration possible. Their support has profoundly impacted these graduates’ lives.
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