Bristow, VA – Dec. 9, 2015 – Girls who are pregnant, homeless, runaways or survivors of sex trafficking now have a safe, stable place to call “home” on the Youth For Tomorrow campus in Bristow, Va. The new residence, built by HomeAid Northern Virginia and its “builder captain” Stanley Martin Homes, was debuted today in a ribbon cutting ceremony and dedication attended by local politicians, community advocates, and sports personalities. HomeAid Northern Virginia builds and renovates homeless shelters and housing facilities via the donated expertise, labor and resources of local homebuilders – enabling nonprofit organizations serving vulnerable communities to invest more of their budgets in supportive programs and services rather than building expenses.
“Many girls arrive at Youth For Tomorrow with nothing but hope. Many have lived through challenges, tragedy and abuse. This new residence on our campus will make sure we can continue to serve these children. With our comprehensive continuum of services and programs, we can provide them with the support they need to heal and rebuild,” said Youth for Tomorrow founder and former Washington Redskins head coach Joe Gibbs, who started the organization 29 years ago. YFT is unique in that it not only provides a full continuum of residential and outpatient services, but also offers its own school for the at-risk youth it serves.
“Our hearts are full of gratitude, and our children and students — who will live in this HomeAid-built house for generations to come — will be forever thankful for the safe and secure home provided by local contractors from the building and development industries in Northern Virginia,” said Dr. Gary Jones, the CEO of Youth For Tomorrow.
Homeless and runaway youth are at a higher risk for physical abuse, sexual exploitation, substance abuse, and death. Many have dropped out or will drop out of school. Approximately 75 percent of runaways in the U.S. are female, and the new home was specifically constructed to serve as a girls residence. The new facility will enable YFT to expand its residential services to up to 36 more girls age 11 to 17 each year – girls who are often pregnant, young mothers, homeless, runaways or survivors of sex trafficking. Construction of the 5,000 sq. ft. home, named the Laura-Louise House, was led by HomeAid’s “Builder Captain” Stanley Martin Homes and more than 110 aligned “trade partners” (suppliers, manufacturers, subcontractors) who donated expertise, labor and/or materials to the project.
The new home construction is a $750,000 investment in Youth For Tomorrow, the local community it serves, and to the Northern Virginia community at large, who may not ever use YFT programs but who benefit indirectly from having comprehensive services for youth and families in the local area.
“Communities are stronger when the needs of its most vulnerable are met. With nearly 80% of the total construction costs donated by HomeAid, Stanley Martin Homes and its trade partners, the savings on construction costs will allow YFT to invest more money into the programs and services that will make a lasting difference in the lives of the young people in its care,” said Home Aid Northern Virginia executive director Christy Eaton.
“The new home for girls built on the Youth For Tomorrow campus is a great tribute to the outstanding leadership and the partnership of HomeAid of Northern Virginia and Stanley Martin Homes. It illustrates their commitment to improving the quality of life for the citizens of Prince William County – particularly teenage girls whose lives were at-risk before coming to YFT,” said Corey Stewart, Chairman At-Large of the Price William Board of County Supervisors. “On behalf of the Board of County Supervisors, I commend Brian Davidson, Chairman of HomeAid Northern Virginia and President of Van Metre Homes and Steve Alloy, President of Stanley Martin Homes and a Board member of HomeAid Northern Virginia for their exemplary leadership in generating more than $580,000 in donations to build this home.”
“Stanley Martin Homes takes pride in supporting the local communities in which we live and work. Collaborating with HomeAid Northern Virginia enabled us to match our expertise in in building with Youth For Tomorrow’s expertise in caring for kids. There is power in a collaborative partnership. The expertise of the home building industry matched with YFT’s supportive programs and educational services translate into a significantly brighter future for at-risk kids in our community,” said Steve Alloy, President of Stanley Martin Homes. “Trade partners” on the project included Total Development Solutions, Heritage Contracting, Franklin Electric and SmartCom Home Technologies. (See a full list here.)
About HomeAid Northern Virginia
HomeAid Northern Virginia, a chapter of HomeAid America, engages the resources and interests of the homebuilding community and its corporate partners in order to undertake new construction and major renovations to properties owned by homelessness service providers that help homeless people gain stability and get back on the road to self-sufficiency. The organization was started in 2001 by members of the Northern Virginia Building Industry Association (NVBIA), and since then, has completed more than 100 projects valued at more than $12.7 million, serving more than 95,440 homeless individuals.
About Youth For Tomorrow
Youth For Tomorrow has been helping at-risk children become responsible members of society for more than 29 years. In 2015, more than 400 teenage boys and girls were served in the residential programs, which includes a national model program for sex trafficked domestic girls. This program has become a national model for re-directing the lives of these victims. More than 6,800 children and their families were served in YFT’s six Behavioral Health Services Programs in satellite offices in Woodbridge and Manassas. YFT is nationally accredited through the Council on Accreditation (COA), an independent not-for-profit organization headquartered in New York that accredits human service organizations like YFT throughout the nation. For additional information about YFT or its programs visit www.youthfortomorrow.org.
CONTACT: Shelley Ducker, 202.255.0561
###
