Moved by the podcast we listened to on our first DLI class day, our group, Pendleton Place Partners, has collaborated with Pendleton Place, a local nonprofit that, among many other services, seeks to break the cycle of poverty and abuse through programs for youth transitioning out of foster care.

Pendleton Place is currently opening Greenville’s very first youth drop-in center – a day center for homeless youth that will meet their basic needs, connect them to the broader continuum of homelessness services, and coordinate a number of on-site partner agency services. At the drop-in center, youth will be able to get a hot meal, take a shower, do laundry, use a computer, and access a locker, but most importantly, they can begin to build trust in staff who care about them without judgment. That trust is the key to taking the next step toward structured case management leading to self-sufficiency.

Our group, Pendleton Place Partners is offering this program support in the following areas:

  • Creating a youth-centered computer lab
  • Providing GED preparation assistance and pathways to success through higher education partnerships
  • Expanding mentoring network to include DLI alumni volunteers