November is National Runaway Prevention Month. It is spearheaded by National Runaway Safeline (NRS) and National Network for Youth (NN4Y). Studies Have Shown That: -One in seven young people between the ages of 10 and 18 will run away> -Youth age 12 to 17 are more at risk of homelessness than adults -75 percent of runaways are female -Estimates of the number of pregnant homeless girls are between 6 and 22 percent -Between 20 and 40 percent of homeless youth identify as Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender or Questioning (GLBTQ) -46 percent of runaway and homeless youth reported being physically abused, 38 percent reported being emotionally abused , and 17 percent reported being forced into unwanted sexual activity by a family or household member -75 percent percent of homeless or runaway youth have dropped out or will drop out of school To support prevention NRS offer *free *materials, including posters, bookmarks and brochures that you can download or have mailed to you. http://www.1800runaway.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Storytelling-toolkit.p... They also have a list of suggested media http://www.1800runaway.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Storytelling-toolkit.p... The True Colors Fund has a list of 10 things you can do personally to support National Runaway Prevention Month: https://truecolorsfund.org/2016/11/01/november-is-national-runaway-prevention-month/?utm_source=True+Colors+Fund&utm_campaign=3c36b44d43-Email_2016_November_FTNN11_2_2016&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6bf9fb21b7-3c36b44d43-61591929 Please share this with anyone you think could use it. Thanks for your continued support of our young people! Please excuse any cross-posting. -- Mary Jo Vortkamp Franklin Branch of the Detroit Public Library (313)-481-1741