Several years ago a PCA pastor in Maplewood, MO stumbled across something he had no idea existed…. homeless school age children in his own middle class suburban neighborhood. In an amazing alliance between the church, the public school system and local businesses, a home was purchased, remodeled and fully staffed with trained house parents in order to make at least a small step towards combating the senselessness of this phenomenon. The following is from the website for Joe’s Place.
Joe's Place is an innovative idea born from a dramatic need in one community. Each year close to a dozen high school students in Maplewood / Richmond Heights, MO find themselves virtually without a home due to serious family difficulties. These students sleep and eat wherever friends will let them settle for a while.
As the Maplewood / Richmond Heights School District struggles to find a safe haven for these youngsters, we find again and again that teens between the ages of 16 and 18 have few support nets in our social welfare system.
Joe's Place offers a small group of teenage boys what every kid should be able to expect from life: a warm place to sleep, regular meals, and someone to provide guidance and affection.
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