Despair, disillusionment and disconnectedness among our youth is a well-cloaked, dark, disabling disease invading this country ... and if allowed to progress at the current pace, will be the unraveling of a this once "great" society.

- Each day in America …
. 5 teens commit suicide
. Nearly 1200 babies are born to teen mothers
. Over 2200 high school students drop out of school
- Every 29 seconds, a high school student drops out of school in the US (this rate has increased 19% in the past 4 years)

Since its inception in 1984, TreeHouse has been “the answer” for hurting teens and families. It has grown to 7 locations, serving over 1300 teens annually with a staff of 43. TreeHouse is a 501(c)3 non-profit, faith-based organization with a mission to bring hope to hurting youth and families leading to life transformation. It offers a safe place for youth to come during out-of-school time – a place where they can be real and know they are not alone.

The TreeHouse program consists of a variety of group and one-on-one engagement activities:
- Support Groups (adult-facilitated time for teens to share and to be heard among peers w/o judgment)
- Going Deeper (where morals & values are infused into fun, interactive activities)
- Growth Groups (self-identified issues where there is a desire to improve or grow)
- One-to-One Mentoring (the key to transformation)
- Recreational Activities (giving teens new experiences)
- Retreats & Mission Trips (where teens step out of their comfort zone through powerful character-building experiences)
- Community Service (where teens discover they have something of value to offer)

Success Factors:
- Reduce at-risk behaviors
- Build healthy relationships with self, others and God
- Connect to a church community
- Graduate high school
- Pursue an educational or vocational track for their future

Top issues TreeHouse youth are experiencing today:
- Violence
- Substance abuse
- Homelessness
- Sexual activity
- Self mutilation
- Suicide ideation
- School failure

Distinctives:
- Relational Model - Staff are quasi parents providing holistic support; educational, spiritual, relational; trusting relationships are formed with staff versus offering of recreational services. Connection between staff and teen is long-term, over the course of multiple years
- Cost-Free Transportation - Barrier free, non-discriminatory; no program fees
- Breadth and depth at-risk teen behavioral issues - Preventative versus rehabilitative; teen-focused (ages 11-18) versus child/youth focus
- Community-based Model – Interactive engagement supported by community boards; involvement of schools, civic groups, police officials, etc.

Composition of TreeHouse Teens:
- 70% of the youth who attend TreeHouse live in poverty
- 65% come from ethnically diverse backgrounds
- 62% live in single-parent homes

Cost:
Although it costs $2,200 per year to support one youth at TreeHouse (compared to $60,000 per year to incarcerate a youth in MN), TreeHouse programs and services are offered to all teens, without discrimination, at no charge. Free transportation is also provided to and from TreeHouse activities.

TreeHouse's passion is to save teens’ lives:
- To stop the cycle of abuse, addiction, broken families, depression, truancy, hopelessness;
- To mentor them toward a new future – a future of hope, strength, successes, and faith; and,
- To rebuild our families and communities.

Please join my quest to raise more attention to this silent, invisible epidemic looming among America’s at-risk youth. The need is undeniable and growing. The awareness among the general public is negligible. The potential to transform millions of lives … priceless.

TreeHouse works. Please give generously today knowing you are making an immediate difference. Thank you!