TULSA, Okla. — It's National Safe Place Week, an opportunity to thank the volunteers and agencies that provide a place for children in crisis to go.
What is a National Safe Place?
Safe Place provides access to immediate help and supportive resources for youth in need. As a community initiative, the program designates schools, fire stations, libraries, and other youth-friendly organizations as Safe Place locations, which display the yellow and black sign.
In Tulsa, one agency helped more than 100 children in just the past year. Youth Services of Tulsa offers snacks, board games, and posters to make children feel welcome.
Theron Ogedengbe spent time there as a teenager.
"It was a very welcoming environment. It was awesome they had curricular activities for us to do," Ogedengbe said.
He said the growth was one of many takeaways from his time at Tulsa Youth Services.
"If anything, for me, my time here was just growth because, like, I was just 17, and I needed to get stuff done," said Ogedengbe.
Officials with the shelter told 2 News the goal is to make kids feel welcome by providing them with an activity board, video games, and plenty of books. They also let the kids pick out what they want to do for spring break, such as going to the Main Event, the library, or even painting.
Tulsa Youth Shelter plays another role in Ogedengbe's life aside from giving him a place to stay.
"They actually helped me get to college,” Ogedengbe said. The help didn't stop there, “Unpacking my dorm helped me fill out paperwork like FASFA, and it got me to my ACT test."
Ogedengbe is now a therapist at YST and said he connects with the kids because he's been in their shoes.
Director Kolby Brown is thankful he has been able to help children walk through their doors all these years.
"Pull them in and have a conversation with them to see exactly what's going on to figure how we can support that individual is always a beautiful thing" Brown said.
Safe Places in Tulsa include:
- QuikTrip
- Fire Stations
- Tulsa City County Libraries
- MetroLink
For children and teens in crisis who can't get to a physical location there is a way to text for help: here.
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