I am grateful my husband and I were able to provide our children with a safe place to call home. For too many kids, though, housing insecurity is their normal. Youth who run away experience negative health and education outcomes:

• Running away from home once decreases the likelihood that a youth will graduate from high school by 10%, and running away multiple times decreases the likelihood by 18%.
• 80% of runaway and homeless girls report having been sexually and/or physically abused.
• LGBTQ homeless youth have twice the rates of sexual victimization on the streets as non-LGBTQ youth, and are more likely to attempt suicide (62%) than their peers (29%)

Each year, thousands of youths run away from home, are pushed out of their homes, or become homeless. Here in Charlotte, over 4,000 children enrolled in CMS face housing insecurity. And this number is only expected to increase.

November is National Runaway Prevention Month, and I am excited to announce The Relatives has recently hired two Runaway Prevention Specialists to ensure the most vulnerable among us can find safety and achieve stability.

Thank you for being a Relative to youth and young adults facing crisis. Your support creates a safety net and support system for young people in our community.

Trish Hobson
Executive Director

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2 Ways To Be A Relative This Holiday Season!

Make the holidays brighter for youth and young adults experiencing crisis in our community. Shop The Relatives Holiday Needs List and provide our kids with basic essentials and special holiday gifts.

RSVP For Caroling With The Relatives