Journey of Hope aims to help homeless youth

SWAMPSCOTT – It’s taken a personal experience for Andy Acampora to recognize one of the North Shore’s fastest growing problems – homelessness among young adults – and a huge act of compassion to try to do something about it.”He was in and out of homelessness last year for about a year and a half and the existing shelters just didn’t work for him,” Acampora said regarding a member of his family. “Young adults, kids in their late teens just don’t fit the model.”In part, the Swampscott native said kids that age, many whom are just out of foster care or runaways who are “couch surfing” can’t make the leap to abide by the rules and regulations required by most shelters.”Or they just don’t know how to,” he added.The experience was a wake up call for Acampora, who said he realized something needed to be done. He said he began to reach out to others in the community and was pleasantly surprised to find they matched his concern.By December, Acampora had put together a board of eight people and “Journeys of Hope” was incorporated.”Now we have 10 members,” he added.For guidance, Acampora turned to Bridge Over Troubled Waters, a Boston-based organization where homeless, high risk and runaway kids can turn for help. The organization serves young adults ages 16-23 and last year had 5,000 children pass through its doors.He said representatives from Bridge Over Troubled Waters totally supported his effort to get an organization geared toward kids started on the North Shore because they are well aware of the growing problem there.Acampora said there are roughly 14,600 homeless individuals in Massachusetts. Of those, 673 are on the North Shore and a significant percentage of them are kids.”Mass Coalition for the Homeless did a study . . . 167 kids in Lynn only fall into the homeless category,” he said. “When you start to peel away the onion, homelessness is everywhere.”The goal is have a two-pronged program that includes outreach and a bricks and mortar building. Where that building will be is still up in the air. In the meantime, however, Acampora said Journey members are reaching out to agencies and organizations they hope to collaborate with in order to offer kids the services they will need. They are also trying to determine exactly what their program will look like.The immediate plan includes a survival program that will offer day programs including job and life skills. They also plan to offer breakfast, lunch, showers and laundry but, Acampora noted, they will not shelter the kids.”The idea is for them to establish peer relationships, to establish trust,” he said.And if or when the kids become comfortable enough in the open, non-threatening atmosphere, Acampora said there will be more help available.”When they’re ready to move forward and make a commitment we’ll assign a case manager,” he said. “They have to be ready, you can’t just foist help on them.”Case managers will work to hook the kids up with the services they need, be it drug or alcohol treatment, mental health issues, or help getting their GED.Initially, Journey will work with kids ages 18-22, but eventually Acampora hopes to expand that to include 16-23 year olds.”We have a tremendous board that is very dedicated,” Acampora said. “This is not an ‘if it happens, it’s a ‘when’ it happens.”Anyone interested in finding out more about Journeys of Hope can contact the organization at [email protected] or by calling 781-593-6698.