Lancaster Catholic students to open shelter for runaway teens

(Lancaster) -- A Lancaster County high school class is helping some runaway teenagers who don't have a place to go.

Lancaster Catholic High School's communications class is opening a temporary, weekly shelter for teens at St. John Episcopal Church in Lancaster next week. The shelter will be open Tuesday evenings and provide a hot meal, counseling, and a safe place for teenagers to come and relax.

Anne Schober is the teacher, who challenged her students to come up with a project that would make a difference in the community. She says she was surprised at the number of students who've said they knew someone who ran away from home. "If you're a runaway or if you've been kicked out the house and you're underage, you're stuck. You go to a friend's house or you just kind of hang out in the graveyards or on a park bench or in the bus station."

Bridgette Barrett took Schober's class last year and is helping with the project. She says the shelter will be a relief for some teens who've quarreled with their families and now find themselves in a tough spot. "It's just to help all the kids that are in a rough situation, to just give them advice if they might need it, or a place to go to for a few hours or a hot dinner."

Schober's class is hoping to secure a grant from a local business or nonprofit that would help set up a permanent shelter for teens.

The shelter will be open from 5 to 8pm every Tuesday, beginning February 19th.