Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Youth Homelessness a real problem NOT being a Legal Adult

If you are under age legally, in Hawaii 18, you probably don't qualify for many, if any services. There are no shelters that will take in underage kids without parents.

So what do these kids do? Probably like their adult counter parts and end up at the beach. With Winter approaching and it getting rainier, it's a rougher life.

Besides having very few services to turn to for help, they also run the risk of just being kids living on the beach and among many different people, may of who may be heavy drug or alcohol users.

Here is a video of one man's efforts to help out in West Virginia, Luke Stafford. He is the camera man for the www.RunTellmanRun.com effort to raise money for youth homelessness.

Tellman is running across the United States to raise money and barefoot in addition.

It's really no surprise to me in growing up on Maui and seeing third and even fourth generation kids that were raised in an environment of drugs and alcohol and parents in jail or just gone, to have to fend for themselves.

Can you imagine what it is like to never know if you will get a full night sleep without being beaten up or harassed. Whether you will see a meal the next day or even two? The adult's living in their cars by the beach go through it with smashed car windows, vandalism and fear for their safety. They are all around us on Maui whether you choose to see them or not.

Luke Stafford his doing his part in a very cold and snowy West Virginia. We may be on Maui, but the weather can still take it's toll, the law can be constantly moving "campers" and entire families, even with working parents are living on the beach.

This is Luke's message and effort. I am already working on extending the efforts to Hawaii. The "official ending" is in Los Angeles by spring, but I believe from their the 50th State should top off the run. More on this later.

For now watch Luke's video:


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Mahalo
Jim