YMCA TO BUILD NEW SHELTER FOR HOMELESS TEENAGERS.Byline: Naush Boghossian Staff Writer GLENDALE - The YMCA YMCA in full Young Men's Christian Association Nonsectarian, nonpolitical Christian lay movement that aims to develop high standards of Christian character among its members. is gearing up to demolish de·mol·ish tr.v. de·mol·ished, de·mol·ish·ing, de·mol·ish·es 1. To tear down completely; raze. 2. To do away with completely; put an end to. 3. a residential duplex (communications) duplex - Used to describe a communications channel that can carry signals in both directions, in contrast to a simplex channel which only ever carries a signal in one direction. on Kenwood Street to make way for a new kind of home - one that will become a haven for teens with no to stay. The $500,000 Your House Teen Center will be a one-of-a-kind facility in Glendale that will serve as a temporary shelter for homeless teens who have left home after years of abuse, a family member's addiction addiction: see drug addiction and drug abuse. or parental neglect parental neglect n. a crime consisting of acts or omissions of a parent (including a step-parent, adoptive parent, or someone who, in practical terms, serves in a parent's role) which endangers the health and life of a child or fails to take steps necessary to the . ``Normally our role is always preventative, but this is going a step beyond prevention - we're helping teens who have found themselves in trouble and need to work out of the problem,'' said Craig Cerro, the YMCA's director of operations. ``This center is going to be more social service-oriented.'' The center, which has been in the works for four years, will offer eight shelter beds that will be available seven days a week, drug and alcohol abuse prevention, recreation opportunities, individual and family counseling, medical assistance, homework tutoring and support group meetings. 2003's statistics show that on any given night in Glendale 472 persons are homeless - and 25 percent of them are children. Teens will be able to stay at the center for up to 10 days and during that time staff will help them either get back with their families, find jobs or move on to a suitable living situation. ``Teens are a very vulnerable group and they don't have anybody looking out for them,'' Cerro said. ``We continue reaching out to teens in crisis situations because they're the most underserved kids in the community.'' Currently, the closest facility to provide a shelter for homeless teens from Burbank, La Canada Flintridge, La Crescenta, Pasadena, Montrose and Glendale is in Hollywood. ``There's no place for them to go. Nobody's providing services,'' Cerro said. ``There might be a place they can talk or hang out, but there's no shelter beds for teenagers.'' Cerro has heard everything, from kids getting kicked out of homes after receiving bad report cards to being forced out because of pregnancy or drug problems. Many times their only choice is the Hollywood teen shelter, which deals with more serious problems, like teen prostitution prostitution, act of granting sexual access for payment. Although most commonly conducted by females for males, it may be performed by females or males for either females or males. . ``We've had to use the shelter in Hollywood and it's frightful,'' Cerro said. ``That's a runaway town for teens and you don't want a kid from this community to have to be exposed to that.'' The center, which will be open to teens under the age of 18, will also provide a kitchenette, computers for teens to do homework, and showers. ``It's modest, but it's going to definitely take care of the job,'' Cerro said. ``Now we'll have a roof for them if they need a place to stay. We look to be the road to help these people with whatever their needs are.'' The YMCA allowed the city's Fire Department to use the buildings at 123-125 Kenwood Street for training practices over the weekend before the demolition Demolition is the opposite of construction: the tearing-down of buildings and other structures. It contrasts with deconstruction, which is the taking down of a building while carefully preserving valuable elements for re-use. . Construction on the center is scheduled to begin in April, with a grand opening slated for the end of December. Construction funding has been secured from the state of California California (kăl'ĭfôr`nyə), most populous state in the United States, located in the Far West; bordered by Oregon (N), Nevada and, across the Colorado River, Arizona (E), Mexico (S), and the Pacific Ocean (W). , the city of Glendale and various grants and donations, but the YMCA has begun efforts to raise an additional $100,000 to prepare the center for operation. ``This center shows that we decided to think outside the box and take a proactive approach to helping teens, some of whom have serious problems,'' said Councilman Dave Weaver
The Weavers are small passerine birds related to the finches. These are seed-eating birds with rounded conical bills, most of which breed in sub-Saharan Africa, with fewer species in tropical . ``We take it for granted that youth have homes and loving and caring parents, but there are those who don't, and they end up falling through the cracks. This is a very forward step on our part and hopefully we'll be a model for other cities.'' To make a contribution, call Craig Cerro at (818) 240-4130 or send a check payable to the YMCA of Glendale to 140 N. Louise St., Glendale, CA 91206. Naush Boghossian, (818) 546-3306 naush.boghossian(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1) A team of Glendale firefighters performs a practice exercise at the house that will be demolished de·mol·ish tr.v. de·mol·ished, de·mol·ish·ing, de·mol·ish·es 1. To tear down completely; raze. 2. To do away with completely; put an end to. 3. to make way for the new shelter. (2) A fireman stands on the roof of the Glendale duplex to be razed raze also rase tr.v. razed also rased, raz·ing also ras·ing, raz·es also ras·es 1. To level to the ground; demolish. See Synonyms at ruin. 2. To scrape or shave off. 3. on the $500,000 teen shelter's future site. Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News |
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