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Mar. 30, 2007 at 7:08am

Coffee & Rhetoric - Thoughts from last night

We had a group of about 20 people in the audience last night who all got a powerful snapshot of the sizable problem of teen homelessness in and around Tacoma. Mary Grant of Campfire USA showed us her true and thankless passion for helping her clients get the help they need without judging them. She kicks their butt when needed and sings their praises when they make a step in the right direction.

Mary brought three of her clients with her to share their stories with us. All three guys are at different stages in their lives. One is currently homeless by choice, one is now in nursing school, and one is working a full-time job and helping guide and mentor other homeless youth. All have had trouble with drugs and/or family life in the past yet find the drive to heed Mary's help and endeavour to make a better life for themselves.

The most stark reality delivered to me last night is that of the estimated 800 homeless teens in Tacoma and Pierce county, there's only one group house that can take them in but that has only 4 beds. To make it worse, this is a house for 17-21 year old males only. There's a huge gap in available housing and Mary sees kids bounced around from agency to agency who all want nothing to do with them mostly because of bureaucratic red tape.

To help, you can contact Mary at Camp Fire USA here in Tacoma. Donations of clothes and money or grocery gift cards are always helpful to Mary's efforts. As always, you can write the Tacoma city council to let them know how important it is that they support the efforts Mary makes for local teens.  Also keep an eye out at UrbanXchange in downtown Tacoma. Owner Julie may soon be taking donations there to help fight teen homelessness as well.

Thanks to everyone who showed up -- next week Coffee & Rhetoric talks skateparks. Should be a good one!

(photo courtesy Erik's and his cellphone)

posted by Kevin under afterthoughts, coffee and rhetoric, homeless teens, tacoma