Raiders take action against homelessness

More than 1.7 million ages 16 to 24 experience homelessness in the U.S. In Nebraska, more than 5,000 children and teenagers are currently homeless.

Behind these people is a different, heartbreaking story that lead to them being without the most basic necessities. However, with the help of local shelters such as the Community Action Partnership of Western Nebraska in Gering and Scottsbluff, the growing population of homeless youth can receive food, clothing and an education.

The Community Action Partnership of Western Nebraska is a nonprofit, community-based health and human services organization that serves low-income, disadvantaged and those unable to meet needs through other sources. This organization has provided services to more than 9,000 individuals, children and families in their four programs.

Brett Avila, a Spanish and Human Development teacher at Sidney High School, created a program known as "Raiders Reaching Out." The new program has been working on taking action in the teen homelessness awareness campaign.

Avila's Human Development class has learned about how different behaviors and parenting styles can contribute to homelessness and how it can be prevented. Raiders Reaching Out partnered with CAPWN and its homeless youth program to give back to kids their own age and learn more about the programs that are offered to help those in need.

"We decided on this organization and the students decided what committee they were interested in, they are running the project with their committees to help spread awareness about teen homelessness," Avila said. "With help from the community, we have received donations as well as from the Salvation Army and the Rummage House."

Raiders Reaching Out collected items from hygiene supplies, recreation equipment, housewares, art supplies to shoes and clothing. The students will then donate to the housing programs, group home, teen shelter and the teen outreach programs at CAPWN. They were able to sort through the donations and to make packages as well as prepare snacks to provide for the organization.

CAPWN youth programs has programming in all 11 counties in the Panhandle to help area youth in need. Their programming ranges from prevention to intervention and aftercare that is based in a trauma informed philosophy. The Teen Outreach Program operates out of Scottsbluff as well as the Sidney Outreach office where youth meet once a week after school to participate in lessons about preventing teen pregnancy and reducing school dropout behaviors. During this program, the students that are involved also work on a community service learning project.

"Raiders Reaching Out will tour the youth shelter and our different sites," said Stephanie Wilhelm, site manager at the youth center. "They will also visit the independent living shelter and drop in center where we have been working on a media project sharing the stories of the kids in the shelter and the labels that they receive."