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WHEREAS, the youth of the City of Pittsburgh will determine the future strength of our country and be the bearers of our democracy; and,
WHEREAS, youth need a safe haven from various negative influences, such as child abuse, substance abuse, depression, and crime, and youth need readily available resources to assist them when faced with circumstances that compromise their safety; and,
WHEREAS, the Safe Place program is committed to protecting the youth of the City of Pittsburgh by offering short term housing at neighborhood locations where trained volunteers are available to counsel and advise young people seeking assistance and guidance; and,
WHEREAS, designated locations where youth can get information and immediate help, Safe Place is found at businesses, such as restaurants, convenience stores, movie theaters, and community buildings such as fire stations, libraries and public transportation vehicles; and,
WHEREAS, the success of Safe Place is based on public/private collaborations between businesses, school systems, fire departments, law enforcement, and a network of volunteers; and,
WHEREAS, Pittsburgh needs increased numbers of community volunteers serving as mentors and positive influences of young people; and,
WHEREAS, the Safe Place program must meet performance standards, relative to outreach and community relations, to receive direct federal assistance as set forth in the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5701 et esq.); and,
WHEREAS, more than 1,400 communities in 37 states administer the Safe Place program at more than 21,000 locations; and,
WHEREAS, more than 359,000 youth have been helped at a Safe Place location or received counseling by phone as a result of Safe Place information received at school; and,
WHEREAS, since program inception in 1983, more than 15 million youth have been educated through National Safe Place Network's Safe Place outreach efforts, familiarizing them with Safe Place sign and providing them wi...
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