In a three‑minute welcome address at the Breakfast with the Relatives fundraiser held at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Ann Sanders, chair of the board of The Relatives, outlines the organization’s three core, unduplicated programs that serve at‑risk youth in Mecklenburg County. She describes the 9‑bed crisis shelter (operating since 1974) for homeless or runaway children and teens, the Journey Place independent‑living residence for six former foster males aged 18‑21, and the free OnRamp Resource Center for any 16‑24‑year‑old transitioning to adulthood, noting that young adults constitute 13% of the county’s population yet account for 38% of arrests. Sanders thanks a roster of corporate and community sponsors, partners, and volunteers, and invites Reverend Father Michael Varvaellis to bless the food, emphasizing the organization’s mission to foster both independence and interdependence among vulnerable young people.
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Welcome to Breakfast with the Relatives. My name is Ann Sanders, and I serve as chair of the board of directors at the Relatives. Welcome. This morning you will hear about our work through the families we serve. What I hope you take away from my 3 minutes is simple. Our work meets critical needs in our community, and our work is unduplicated. No one else does what we do. The Relatives has 3 programs that you will hear about this morning. First, our crisis center. Since 1974, we have operated a 9-bed shelter free of charge for children and teens who are homeless, who have run away from home, or who are in a crisis situation at home. This is the only emergency shelter for children and teens in our county. Our second program, Journey Place. Journey Place is a 9 to 18 month residence for 6 young men ages 18 to 21 who are leaving foster care and entering adulthood. Journey Place is the only independent living residential program for former foster males in this county. This residence is possible through the generosity of Providence United Methodist Church, and we are most grateful. And our third program, OnRamp Resource Center, for young people who need help transitioning to adulthood. Our world expects an 18-year-old to function as an independent adult. This is a tall order for even our most healthy and well-cared-for 18-year-olds. So imagine the challenges for our at-risk young people. Young adults are 13% of the county population, and yet they account for 38% of the arrests made in Mecklenburg County. This population needs help. OnRamp is also free. It's open to any and all 16- to 24-year-olds in our county. This event would not be possible without a lot of help, and I would like to thank our sponsors at this time: Wells Fargo, Steri-Tek, Alston& Bird, Cardinal Partners, and Harris Teeter. Thank you to Designer Glass Mosaics for the lovely centerpieces, which were made by the children and youth at our crisis shelter, and to Phase 2 Productions for video production assistance. As you join us for breakfast this morning in the comfortable setting of this church, please be aware that many children and young people don't have a safe place to wake up to in the morning. They live on the street, they live in unsafe or abusive homes, or they reside in a homeless shelter, no place for any young person. For many young people, the reality is simple and despairing. They are on their own at their 18th birthday, starting with where they lay their head down to sleep that night. The Relatives' goal is to make young people independent as well as interdependent, helping them to develop the community and the safety net that we all need in our own lives. It is these young people that The Relatives serves, providing a safe place with our crisis shelter, for children and teens, with OnRamp Resource Center for young adults, and with Journey Place Independent Living Residence for former foster youth. So thank you for coming, thank you for listening, and thank you for supporting our mission. At this time, I'd like to ask Reverend Father Michael Varvaellis here at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral to bless the food. Thank you very much to Thank you. Thank you to Holy Trinity for hosting this event this morning. Thank you also to John Shumas, our Safe Place partner at Chick-fil-A South End, for the chicken biscuits. Thank you to Starbucks for the coffee and for Neat Sweets for the pastries.
