Child/Teen Concerns
Finding children or underage teenagers on the street is always a high priority for us. There are so many reasons why these kids may be unsheltered and it’s important that we are part of helping families and teenagers find solutions instead of just reacting.
Families on the street
*We often see parents with children on the street following crisis situations including sudden evictions, domestic violence, or being kicked out of a home by the family or friends they were staying with. Most of these families are terrified of the foster care system and most are incredibly receptive to help if it means we can help them find solutions that keep them together.
*If you find a family on the street, please don’t hotline or call the police (unless it’s absolutely necessary), contact Christie Love or Holly Madden (719)-466-9567 (TCG’s Family Connection Director) immediately. (This excludes an emergency medical crisis you may come upon - in this situation, please call us once medical personnel ore on the way).
*TCG works alongside Children’s Division closely to prevent families from entering the system if possible. We will contact CD through these avenues as we look for a solution to support families staying in tact!
Below is a list of some of the partner organizations we work with to provide shelter, services and support to families who may find themselves on the street!
(there is currently no walk-in emergency family shelter- all of the shelters below require a phone call ahead of time to see if there is space or if the family qualifies).
Isabel’s House (Crisis Nursery)
Catholic Charities El Rancho (A Family Shelter : One Door manages the waiting list).
Salvation Army’s Family Enrichment Center (A Family Shelter, must have ID’s).
Children’s Division and other child welfare agencies.
*If a hotline call needs to be made, we will walk you through when and how to do that!
**We work with many women who are pregnant while on the street. Unfortunately, there are very few resources available to these parents-to-be. We work closely with them to make sure they are receiving proper prenatal care and that they are as safe as they can be. Please let Christie or Holly know if they ask for specific help, if you are concerned about their health/circumstances, or if they are showing signs of labor or possible pregnancy complications. Some of these moms-to-be are terrified to go to the hospital because they are terrified of the system.
Teenagers on the street
*We often see teenagers on the street because they have left unsafe home conditions. We see many runaways, and even more that have been kicked out of their home with nowhere to go. It’s not uncommon to meet kids who are actively in the foster care system who have been kicked out or have runaway from group homes or placements. These kids are the highest risk of trafficking because of their status as a foster youth and often because of their legal status as a “runaway.”
*If you find a teenager, please don’t hotline or call the police, contact Christie Love or Holly Madden (TCG’s Family Connection Director) immediately. (This excludes an emergency medical crisis you may come upon - in this situation, please call us once medical personnel ore on the way).
*We encourage you to take time to listen to some of their story. Our kids on the street are often the least trusting of our services because of the trauma they’ve been through.
Below is a list of some of the partner organizations we work with who provide services and support to youth on the street.
Youth Connect through Foster Adopt Connect (a drop-in day shelter for youth)
Rare Breed, The Kitchen inc. (a resource center for youth)
Children’s Division and other child welfare agencies.
*We will walk you through next steps as we open up conversations with Children’s Division. Keep in mind that some of the shelters, most hotels, and many resources are not available to these kids because of their underage status.
**Many of the unsheltered youth identify as LGBTQ+. Please be sensitive as TCG and our Outreach efforts are affirming for members of this community.