WHY R&U Youth Collaboration Center? WHO will benefit?

Youth are looking for a safe place to go - with the crime rate soaring, homeless youth statistics on the rise and lack of mentors we want to be there for the youth.

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HOW WE GOT HERE...

Our focus has been the Alief community in Southwestern Harris County on the outskirts of Houston TX. This area is notorious Nationwide for ‘hosting’ sex-trafficking, drug cartels and a myriad of social, economic, and gang-related problems negatively impacting the next generation.  We have volunteered with the local schools, anti-trafficking response, mission efforts and social groups to help solve these generational problems without insulting the dignity of those we are serving.  

We researched, interviewed members of the community and created an answer that …”abandons strategies that undermine dignity, diminishes capacity, and creates unhealthy dependency by increasing the use of approaches that are truly empowering." 

*From: "Becoming Whole: the Opposite of Poverty Isn't the American Dream, by Brian Fikkert and Kelly M. Kapic, Moody Publishers, 2019.

What does that mean? After reading and analyzing various approaches to Poverty Alleviation, TDP has developed and piloted a few events in the community with great success and currently are looking to purchase or rent a warehouse to launch:

“Re-Purposed & Up-Cycled: Youth Collaboration Center”.  

We need finances to move forward.  This is an investment that will reproduce for generations to come.

We are looking for those who want to partner with this as we not only promote empowerment and independence of those in need, but an awareness of environmental issues with solutions of re-purposing and up-cycling – which we know is necessary for our future.

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Here is a quote from an organization that we have been following for many years.  They have “rescued” over 10,000 children from prostitution over the 40 years they have been serving communities throughout the nation.  They have a 75-80% retention rate – because it’s all about relationship, consistency and being there for these kids.  Here is a quote from one of their newsletters.

From Children of the Night: “Our staff are trained to never try to “persuade (sic)” a child on the notion of “getting off the streets.” We are ready 24/7 and able to assist when the child wants to make that move. We know from over 40 years of working with these children, if we let them, they will come to us, and when they come in from the cold, bitter streets, they will be ready to do the hard work required to make a permanent change in their lives…”

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HOW we can work together to make this happen?

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Talk to your civic organization, church or business and we can visit with them to explain how they can be involved.

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Attend our training - held 2X year (next one coming soon)

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Volunteer on location.

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Help us fund raise via events, mail, speaking etc…

HERE IS THE LOOK that we envision

POSSIBLE FLOOR PLAN OUTLINE