Yavapai County Community Foundation Awards 2 Grants to Open Inn’s Turning Point Youth Center

In August 2008, the Yavapai County Community Foundation announced two grant awards to support Open Inn’s Turning Point Youth Center.  Located in Prescott, Turning Point provides street and community outreach, crisis intervention and shelter, life skills training, peer counseling, and transitional living programs for runaway, homeless and at-risk youth in Yavapai County.

A grant from the Children’s Fund of the Yavapai County Community Foundation will provide support to Project SAFE, Open Inn’s street outreach program in Yavapai County.  Project SAFE provides street-based outreach and assistance to homeless and near-homeless youth on the streets, in parks, at youth centers, and in schools.  Project SAFE provides alternatives to running away and helps youth by connecting them to safe shelter and transitional housing, reconnecting them with their families when possible, and providing opportunities for Yavapai County youth to develop the skills necessary to become self-sufficient. 

A second grant from the Richard and Jonne Markham Fund at the Yavapai County Community Foundation will support transitional housing programs at Turning Point.  With the support of the Richard and Jonne Markham Fund, Turning Point will provide transitional housing, counseling, life skills classes, and other supports to homeless youth ages 16-21 through apartments at Turning Point and in the community. 

Open Inn was selected as one of 22 nonprofit organizations to receive grants from the Yavapai County Community Foundation this year.  “We are honored by the support of the Yavapai County Community Foundation and are confident that this partnerhsip will strengthen Open Inn’s ability to serve youth in our community,” said Laura Bedient, Open Inn’s Program Operations Manager.