Amy's Place Drop-in Center

The Edward Byrne Memorial Discretionary Grants Program, administered by the Office of Justice Programs' (OJP's) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), furthers the Department's mission by assisting state and local jurisdictions in improving the criminal justice system and assisting communities in preventing drug abuse and crime. In fiscal year 2007, the Edward Byrne Memorial Discretionary Grants Program will focus on funding local, regional, and national efforts within six major categories: 1) targeting violent crime; 2) preventing crime and drug abuse; 3) enhancing local law enforcement; 4) enhancing local courts; 5) enhancing local corrections and offender reentry; and 6) facilitating justice information sharing. All categories combat, address, or otherwise respond to precipitous or extraordinary increases in crime, or in a type or types of crime.

The Old Town Christian Ministries'(OTCM) Street Outreach program aims to reach the 'hardest-to-serve' youth. Their drop-in center, Amy's Place, in conjunction with street outreach services, will serve as a first point of engagement to reach Whatcom County's homeless, run-away, street involved, chemically dependent youth who often are at risk of being subjected to sexual abuse and/or exploitation.

The goal of the drop-in center is to ensure that young people will have access to a safe place during peak hours of drug use, sexual exploitation, and crime. Amy's Place will provide the youth with mentors, activities, counseling, peer-supported relationships, and connections to community resources to meet their basic needs.

This funding will enable OTCM to expand their services to vulnerable youth by increasing their hours of operation, staff capacity, and the size of the facility in use.

CA/NCF