The Kitchen - Rare Breed Receives $10,000 Challenge Grant for Safe Place Springfield
The Kitchen Inc. has been awarded a $10,000 challenge grant from the Junior League of Springfield to establish and operate the Project Safe Place Springfield program. The Junior League of Springfield will match dollar for dollar funds raised by The Kitchen to a maximum of $10,000.

Safe Place Springfield will be the first step to help any young person in crisis and will provide access to immediate safety, help, and supportive resources for young people, ages 10-18.

Beginning in August, Safe Place services will be accessed by young people, conveniently in their own neighborhoods, through a network of designated Safe Place sites, such as public and private agency or business locations, displaying the distinctive yellow and black Safe Place sign.

The Kitchen's Rare Breed Youth Services will operate the Safe Place program with Boys & Girls Town of Missouri as a primary service partner and with City Utilities, Springfield-Greene County Library, Springfield Fire Department, Springfield Public Schools, Ozarks Regional YMCA and QuikTrip as primary community partners.

"Project Safe Place Springfield will fill a need in our community and is an exciting way for the Junior League of Springfield to commemorate its 50th anniversary year," said Andrea McKinney, President of the Junior League of Springfield. "The Junior League salutes the leadership efforts on behalf of The Kitchen staff, volunteers and donors for making this vision a reality."

"The Junior League of Springfield has a long and successful history of supporting children and youth in the community," said Todd Duncan, Coordinator of Youth Services for The Kitchen. "We are very proud of the Junior League's commitment to the safety of our kids and honored to have the Safe Place Springfield program implemented as a result of this challenge grant."

Safe Place is a 25-year-old, nationally recognized program that serves nearly 1,500 communities across the country. More than 250,000 youth nationally have received help through Safe Place since the program's inception in 1983. Additional information can be found at www.nationalsafeplace.org.

Rare Breed Coordinator Named to National Runaway Prevention Month Task Force
The NRPM Task Force is sponsored by the National Runaway Switchboard. It is a group that works to plan strategies and events in recognition of November as National Runaway Prevention Month. The overall goals for the NRPM are to 1) raise awareness of the issues facing runaway youth; and 2) educate the public about solutions and the role they can play in preventing youth from running.

The Kitchen - Rare Breed Youth Services Announces Safe Place Springfield Program
Coming in August, Springfield area youth will have a new place to turn if they're in need of help.

The Kitchen, Inc. has been selected by National Safe Place to implement the Safe Place program in Springfield, MO. Safe Place is a nationally acclaimed outreach program making help readily available to young people in crisis. A national network of over 15,000 partnering businesses and community agencies - such as fast food restaurants, convenience stores, fire stations, public buses and libraries - are trained to connect youth in need to local youth services and shelter.

Safe Place Springfield will provide access to immediate safety, help, and supportive services for youth in need, ages 10-18. Youth may access Safe Place conveniently in their own neighborhoods by asking for help at nearby Safe Place sites that display the distinctive yellow and black Safe Place sign. In Springfield, City Utilities, Springfield-Greene County Library District, Ozarks Regional YMCA, Springfield Fire Department, and QuikTrip are partnering, with advisory and support provided by Springfield Public Schools and Springfield Police Department. Safe Place is seeking more business or agency partners and individual volunteers.

The Kitchen's Rare Breed Youth Services will operate the Safe Place program in Springfield with Boys & Girls Town of Missouri as a primary service partner.

"Springfield children and youth experience many difficult and sometimes dangerous situations.
Our kids should have convenient, safe places to turn to when they are in need. Outreach to local schools will inform young people about the help available at Safe Place sites. If just one young person a week seeks help through Safe Place Springfield, we'll know we are meeting a real need in our community," said Todd Duncan, Coordinator of Youth Services for The Kitchen.

Safe Place programs serve nearly 1,500 communities across the country. More than 250,000 youth nationally have received help through Safe Place since the program's inception in 1983. Additional information can be found at www.nationalsafeplace.org.

For more information on Safe Place Springfield, contact Todd Duncan at 417-865-6400.

KOLR10 Coverage
KY3 Coverage
News-Leader Coverage

Rare Breed Youth Services to Appear at 2009 Community Awareness Fair
The Greene County Juvenile Office will hold its third annual Community Awareness Fair on June 27, 2009 at Jordan Valley Park. The Community Awareness Fair will feature food, games and entertainment... all free to the public. The Fair was designed as a fun event connecting parents and kids with community resources like after school activities, mentoring programs and drug prevention programs. It also gives service agencies a chance to network. Rare Breed Youth Services will be participating in the event for the third consecutive year by operating an informational resource and community education booth at the event. Last year's KOLR10 Coverage.

Senior Democrats of the Ozarks Garage Sale Benefits Rare Breed Youth
The Senior Democrats of the Ozarks held a garage sale to benefit Rare Breed Youth Services on Friday, May 23, 2009.  The garage sale was a great success with the seniors raising nearly $1000 to benefit the new Safe Place Springfield program. Community members donated items to the group which were then sold at the garage sale, held at Brentwood Christian Church, 1900 E. Barataria. Special thanks goes out to the members of the Senior Democrats for organizing the event, to Brentwood Christian Church for donating the use of their facility and to community members who supported the event through their donations and purchases.

Rare Breed Youth Volunteer at Kitchen's 5K Fun Run
Youth at the Rare Breed Transitional Living Program volunteered to help at the 18th annual 5K Fun Run, on Saturday, May 9. The proceeds of the annual event go to help support The Kitchen's Child Nurturing Center. Youth helped set up and operate a water station for runners, while having an opportunity to cheer runners on and participate in a great community event. 

Rare Breed Youth Pack Food for The Kitchen's Food Pantry
Rare Breed youth gave back to the community on two occasions in May by volunteering to pack food in association with Kids Against Hunger - Springfield. The Kitchen was able to obtain basic foodstuffs in bulk and the youth worked side-by-side with other volunteers to repackage the bulk goods into smaller family meal sized portions. The family meals created will be given out to needy families through The Kitchen's food pantry in the Community Outreach program.

Rare Breed Youth Display Art During Art Walk
Budding young artists at the Rare Breed created over 30 works of art and held an art open house on May 1, 2009, which coincided with the First Friday Art Walk. Art was displayed gallery style and youth guides were present to tour community members around the drop-in center. Nearly 100 community members attended the event. Youth enjoyed the experience so much that future art open houses are now being planned. Youth Art is for sale at the drop-in center with all of the proceeds going to the youth artists.

Rare Breed Youth Plant Urban Vegetable Garden
Rare Breed is working with Burlington Northern Santa Fe's Metro Credit Union and Baker Seed Company to partner with youth to grow an urban vegetable garden this summer. This activity fits well with Rare Breed's existing services, which teach youth sustainable skills that will last a lifetime. Ground has been broken by youth on the 12x12 plot and seeds have been sown. The youth will continue to tend the garden through the summer with hopes of a bountiful harvest.

Rare Breed Youth Participate in Recent Artsfest
Rare Breed youth participated in Artsfest for the second consecutive year.  This year, children and youth, accessed through various organizations, were given a plywood cutout of a human figure to design and decorate. The figures were then collected and combined at the Artsfest site to form a display with the theme "Art Unites."

Rare Breed Youth Open Free Face Painting Booth at Easter Egg Hunt
Youth, staff and volunteers learn to do children's face painting and opened up a free face painting booth for children participating in the University Heights Baptist Church Easter Egg Hunt April 11, 2009. Eight youth set up to face painting tables and painted dozens of children's faces at the event.

Rare Breed Youth Help Out Downtown
Rare Breed youth have been completing to service projects for more than nine years.  The most recent to benefit downtown is the cleaning and preparation of tree wells along Park Central East and Park Central West for the Urban Districts Alliance. Youth have cleaned trash out of the tree wells and now have them prepared to receive plants and mulch that will be obtained by Urban Districts Alliance.

Rare Breed Youth Attend Candlelight Vigil for Victims of Child Abuse
Staff and youth attended a candlelight vigil at St. John's Child Care Center. The event is held to remember children who have lost their lives to child abuse. The vigil featured various speakers, including local survivors of child abuse. The event is sponsored by the Ozarks Association for the Education of Young Children (OAEYC), a student organization at Missouri State University. The organization conducted a child abuse training session immediately following the vigil.

Rare Breed Coordinator Named toNational Task Force and Regional Youth Services Board
Todd Duncan, Coordinator of Youth Services for The Kitchen, Inc. in Springfield, has recently been named to the National Runaway Prevention Month Task Force. The task force is sponsored by the National Runaway Switchboard and consists of planning and implementing campaign activities for NRPM in local communities.

Duncan has also been named to the board of directors of MINK Youth Service Network, an organization made up of youth service agencies, concerned with emerging youth issues and trainings in a four state area. MINK Youth Services Network is headquartered in Lenexa, Kansas and represents children and youth serving organizations in Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas.

High Risk and Homeless Youth Survey Report
The Homeless Youth Subcommittee of the Housing Collaborative surveyed 264 local youth about their characteristics and situations. Download this brief report if you want to quickly learn more about high risk and homeless youth in Springfield, MO. High Risk and Homeless Youth Survey Report

Rare Breed Participates in Annual Cider Days
Rare Breed has participated in the annual Cider Days scarecrow building competition for the last seven years. This year's entry won first place in the "Best Use of Recycled Materials" category, as voted on by thousands of Cider Days of attendees. The "Growcrow" is on display at the Rutledge Wilson Farm, along with the other winners, throughout the month of October.

Rare Breed Appears in 417 Magazine
Rare Breed Youth Services appears in the September issue of 417 Magazine. The article details the services offered through the Rare Breed Youth Outreach Center and Transitional Living Program and features a youth experiencing success as a result of involvement in our services. Pick up your copy of 417 Magazine at your local newsstand and read the story here.

Rare Breed Completes Community Service Project for National Night Out
Rare Breed Youth Services youth and staff operated a free children's face painting booth at the Grant Beach Neighborhood Association's National Night Out celebration on Friday, August 22 in Grant Beach Park. Many free activities were available, including a pot luck dinner, karaoke and swimming at Grant Beach Pool to entertain the kids and adults alike.

National Night Out, held in conjunction with the Springfield Police Department, is a great way for local residents to interact informally with the police officers who serve the area, to see friends and to get to know neighbors. National Night Out is celebrated nationally on the first Tuesday of August. Due to the Ozark Empire Fair being held the first week in August, Springfield Missouri has chosen to celebrate this event the Friday before school begins.

Rare Breed Begins Mobile Outreach in Springfield
Rare Breed Youth Services staff members are now conducting street outreach to reach homeless youth in Springfield. Outreach workers are visiting local areas where homeless youth frequent to engage youth that are unaware of the drop-in center. The goal of street outreach is to identify homeless youth, provide them immediate aid and educate them regarding available community resources, in an effort to help them leave the streets. Outreach is occurring two nights each week in the later evening hours.

Rare Breed Participates in 2008 Community Awareness Fair
Rare Breed opened an informational booth in support of the second annual Community Awareness Fair, put on the by Greene County Juvenile Office and the Community Partnership of the Ozarks. The fair was held June 7, 2008. The fair's purpose is to provide local resource education and information to parents and families in a fun atmosphere. There was free food, music and games for children and youth. The fair incorporated booths from nearly 40 groups offering support to families, children and adolescents.
News-Leader Coverage
KOLR10 Coverage 

Rare Breed Youth Participate in Artsfest
Rare Breed youth were pleased to participate in Artsfest, downtown on historic Walnut Street, for the first time on May 3 & 4, 2008. Youth created the "Itty Bitty Breed Land" to support the Art Gardens exhibit - "simulated art gardens created by area high school students using recycled materials." Rare Breed youth have participated in Cider Days downtown for many years and were excited to lend their contribution and efforts to making Artsfest great. Artsfest is sponsored by the Springfield Regional Arts Council and is managed by the Urban Districts Alliance. The "Itty Bitty Breed Land" exhibit is pictured below.

Rare Breed Hosts Group from Nevada
Rare Breed Youth Services hosted a group of individuals, concerned for homeless youth, from Nevada, MO. The group is interested in developing services for homeless youth in their area and felt they could benefit from learning about our services and genesis. Rare Breed put on an informative presentation for the group and engaged them in discussion of pertinent issues. A tour of both the drop-in center and the transitional apartments was also provided.

Rare Breed has a long history of providing program development, operation and service information to other existing homeless youth providers and start ups. In addition to the group form Nevada, we have hosted a group from West Plains, MO, two groups from Columbia, MO and Covenant House Missouri. We have also provided basic technical assistance to transitional living programs in Columbia, MO and Indianapolis, IN.

The Kitchen, Inc. Receives Federal Grants
The Kitchen, Inc. received two federal grants enabling the continuation of Rare Breed Youth Services. The Kitchen competes in a nationwide grant competition for funds to serve homeless youth, which are authorized by the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act.

The Kitchen will receive $105,000 per year for three years to operate its Street Outreach Program and submitted one of the highest scoring applications in the nation, resulting in additional funds being allocated over and above the normal funding level of $100,000 per year. More information regarding these programs can be accessed by visiting the links to each at the top of this page.