Shampoo. Towels. Laundry detergent. Batteries. This may read a little differently than your Christmas list, but these items we take for granted are in need right in our own community. When members of the National Junior Honor Society at Rivermont Collegiate chose the Transitional Housing for Homeless Youth (THY) Program for a service project, it went beyond filling service hours; students felt a personal connection to this project, which serves youth-clients ages 14 through 21. There are about 850 homeless youth in Davenport and Rock Island combined. Members of Rivermont NJHS are hosting a "Bed, Bath, and Beyond for Bethany" fundraiser through December 10th, collecting donations of clothes and household products to supply youth apartments. NJHS members have thrown themselves behind the cause with fervor, even spending a chilly morning on the Rivermont front lawn with cardboard signs reading "Cold. Tired. Hungry." and "Wanted: A Safe Place." to raise awareness about local homeless youth and encourage donations. The cause is about to become even more meaningful! On Friday, December 10th, THY Program Supervisor Ben Cleaveland will be on the Rivermont campus at 1:00 p.m. to speak with students in grades 5-12 about THY. He will be accompanied by a client who has benefited from THY and its services, providing the opportunity for students to see the significance and direct impact of their donation. Following the program, Rivermont's donation boxes will be loaded and delivered.
Bethany for Children and Families has been providing services since 1899, ranging from custody mediation to teen parent support. Specifically, the THY Program provides services for homeless youth, available to clients ages 14 to 21 that are homeless or living in a shelter. Client-youth are located in various apartments throughout the QC community, furnished by donations, and must attend school or be employed. THY focuses on providing educational and employment counseling, money management skills, vocational training, mental health services, and assistance with housing, food, and transportation. THY encourages self-sufficiency by giving young people opportunities to exercise leadership, build skills, and get involved in the community.
Rivermont Collegiate, located in Bettendorf, is the Quad Cities' only private, independent, nonsectarian college-prep school for preschool through twelfth grade. For additional information on Rivermont Collegiate, visit us online at www.rivermontcollegiate.org.
For additional information about Bethany for Children and Families and the THY Program, including a list of needed donations, please visit www.bethany-qc.org.
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