Safe Place Youth Emergency Centers reopens in Monterey
22-year-old Nicholas Gribens has been homeless for almost a year.
“I didn’t have a very good family life. One thing i had to take into consideration was, ‘Do i want to loose everything and work my way from the ground up,’ or ‘Do i want to keep everything and deal with depression,'” said Gribens.
Gribens said there were nights he spent scared on the streets before finding Safe Place: Youth Emergency Shelter in Monterey. The shelter caters specifically to youth ages 12 to 24.
“Overall, they give you an atmosphere to come in, feel welcome, and not be scared,” said Gribens.
Around 300 homeless youth come to Safe Place, every year. For the past six months, the shelter has undergone a major remodel, which forced the shelter to close its doors on the weekends.
“That’s where it stemmed from. Wanting to provide long term services for our homeless and runaway youth. During construction, we had to kind of shut down and only have certain beds available at times,” said program officer at Safe Place, Lilah Handler.
Next week, Safe Place will hold its grand reopening. They will showcase a brand new kitchen, fresh paint, and rooms full of donated clothes and toiletries.
Organizers said they want to provide a more positive atmosphere where youth can learn about how to get on the right track. “A lot of youth just need to know what is available to them. Learning how they can get their GED, or how they can get into school, colleges, community colleges. Youth are also interested in how they can get a job and what opportunities are available to them,” said Handler.
Gribens said the staff at Safe Place do more than just teach him life skills, but give him the motivation to be his best self. “They’re there for you. That right there makes you want to move and go on,” said Gribens.
Thursday, volunteers helped with the homeless count for Monterey and San Benito Counties. The new numbers will be released in the spring, giving Safe Place staff a better idea of what they can prepare for.
