Lighthouse Homeless Youth Program

National statistics document that there are nearly two million homeless kids and street kids currently in the United States.  Half of these are under the age of fifteen and some are as young as nine.  Even more frightening is the statistic that reveals that 36% of these young kids have been on the streets for more than three years.  In response to these growing numbers CRYI has established a vital street outreach, “The Lighthouse Homeless Youth Program”.  The chief components of this program are dedicated counselors who visit the streets and try to reach these impoverished young people, through both words and actions.  By speaking with the kids in their own language, and not putting unreasonable expectations on them, the counselors are able to go to their level and connect with the youth in a dynamic way.  These volunteers are determined to succeed in, if nothing else, just showing these kids that they genuinely care.  This program pours a tremendous amount of effort into sending counselors to the streets each year and CRYI anticipates working with hundreds of homeless in 2007.