Inverness Kiwanis Club welcomes Family Connection speaker

Susan Johnston attended the Inverness Kiwanis Club’s meeting to discuss Family Connection’s community efforts to end homelessness.

Johnston has been with Family Connection, a non-profit that works to help vulnerable children, youth and families, for almost 36 years.

“Everything we do at Family Connection is focused on safety of children, youth and families,” Johnston said.

One of Family Connection’s efforts is Project Hope, a street outreach program which works to help homeless teens and bring them back to their families. There are two shelters in the area, including a daytime shelter in downtown Birmingham and an overnight shelter in Alabaster.

“[In Alabaster] we are always open to runaway and homeless children and children who are amidst a crisis. They can walk up to our doors, they can call us – we are listed on the 1-800-Runaway [phone number],” Johnston said.

Volunteers will travel in a “Hopemobile” to parks and bus stations to seek out homeless youth, bringing them care packages including food, clothing and drinks. The volunteers travel the same route each day, Johnston said, working to connect with the homeless youth.

“When I first started doing this, statistics told us in about two weeks of a young person being on the street, they’ll be involved in human trafficking or prostitution, pornography or those kinds of things,” Johnston said. “It is now within 72 hours. They would be fully plugged in and cannot get out. That is why it is critical we are on the streets every day.”

After gaining their trust, Johnston said the volunteers offer to take the kids to the day or overnight centers. There, they receive a warm meal and have the option of showering, changing clothes and receiving counseling services. The ultimate goal is to reconnect the kids with their families, if that is a viable option, Johnston said.

Johnston asked the Kiwanis members to offer their help in any way, including donating items for Family Connection’s yearly yard sale, bringing homemade food to the shelters or volunteering their time.

For more information about Family Connection, visit familyconnection-inc.org.