Our featured Local Resource for this edition of Get to Know a Resource is Old Town Christian Ministries Amy's Place. Heidi Unick, Director of Amy’s Place took the time to fill out our questionnaire so you could get a chance to learn their story.

For those unfamiliar with your organization, give us your thirty second elevator speech.

Old Town Christian Ministries (OTCM) started in 1980 with a small group of local citizens concerned about the homeless people in Bellingham. In 1995, OTCM opened a Thrift Store and in 1996 started the Stepping Stone Program. This program helped homeless individuals and families receive emergency housing primarily through motel vouchers. In 2006, OTCM opened a youth drop in Center called Amy's Place. Due to funding limitations, Amy's Place is the only program offered to the community at this time. The Thrift Store closed in 2007 and the Stepping Stone Program ended in 2008. But Amy's Place is ALIVE and WELL serving 124 different youth since the beginning of 2010.

As you can tell from our website, we love data. Share with us three interesting data points that highlight your work.

Amy's Place is a drop in center for street involved youth. Most of the youth attending the Center are chemically dependent and/or have a mental illness. These youth and children are in dire need. The following statistics are reported for the first 2 ½ months of 2010; January – March 15, 2010.

During January 1 through March 15, 2010:

• 124 unduplicated youth attended Amy's Place.
• Of the 124 youth, 79 were unique ( attended in previous years) and 45 were brand new, never attended before. Youth attended Amy's Place 482 times and 454 meals were provided. Youth took food with them when they left the Center 215 times. In addition, youth received clothes, hygiene products, bus tickets, and participated in youth meetings.
• 467 documented opportunities for mentoring and 470 for peer support occurred during this period.

Though we love data, we still have heart. Tell us about an experience that has made your work worthwhile.

People ask me " Why do you do this?" and I often ask myself, "Why do I do this?" To run a drop in center is a lot of work without much pay and very little in return. There is satisfaction in knowing I'm doing all I know how to do to help them. Youth tell their friends and acquaintances to come to the Center. Numbers keep increasing, and I believe it's not only because youth are getting their basic needs met and receive referrals to other community agencies, but it's also because they know they are cared about. We care what happens to them and want to create the best environment in the Center that can foster change. When they realize they want change and get off the streets, and choose a life in recovery, that makes it all worthwhile.

Community health issues cross a number of sectors and agencies. Tell us about your organization's role in the complex web of community health.

Amy's Place invites community agencies to come in and provide presentations to help youth receive resources and services. We are also looking for community presenters. Please contact Heidi Unick at 671-5567 if you'd like to provide a community presentation to the youth. We need Community Health presenters.

Dream big here; if your organization received a sizable grant, what would you do with it?

If Amy's Place received a sizable grant, it could hire more staff especially professionals trained in the areas of mental health and chemical dependency. The Center could be open everyday offering youth a safe place off the streets everyday. The Big Dream is to provide a 24 hour 7 day a week shelter with a drop in center model within it. Youth would have a safe place to stay as they transition into a permanent placement such as job core, treatment, housing, returning home if safe, etc.

Give us your pitch! What are ways for a person to get involved with your organization?

The Pitch: Funding, we need more financial support to keep the Center open.

Come on Bellingham, you can help these vulnerable youth and children!!!

Please call Heidi Unick at 360-671-5567 for more information on how you can get involved. You can also go our website amysplaceforyouth.org for more information.

Any final words for our readers?

  Thank-you for this opportunity to share about Amy's Place.

Now that you've learned a little about Old Town Christian Ministries Amy’s Place head on over to their Local Resource Listing for information on how you can get involved. If you would like to have your organization featured in a Get to Know a Resource article, fill out our short Questionnaire!

Get to Know a Resource Questionnaire