how to start a group home for at risk teens?
353225
A big but noble task, I hope you pull it off.\n\nFirst, incorporate.  File articles of incorporation as a nonprofit with your state's secretary of state.  Articles for this are commonly available at the SOS website, call them if you have questions.\n\nSecond, adopt bylaws.  Google "bylaws nonprofit [name of your state]" and see what forms you can find.\n\nThird, get a Federal Employer Identification Number for your company -- you can do this online at the first link below.\n\nFourth, go to second link below to download a Form 1023 and instructions for Form 1023.  You'll fill the Form 1023 out and file it with IRS.  You'll be filing as a 501(c)(3) public charity (as opposed to private foundation), assuming that most of your funds will come from the general public (as opposed to from a single source).  The Form 1023 is long (28 pages) and will take some time, but the good news is it will help you think through some of the important issues.  The last 2 pages are a checklist of all the filings you'll need to submit with the Form 1023.\n\nFifth, send the Form 1023 and any other necessary docs (see Form 1023 checklist) to IRS with the filing fee (either $150 or $500 depending on your expected revenues -- see Part XI of Form 1023).  Then wait -- it takes over 6 months for IRS to even respond to 1023's nowadays.  When they respond, they'll assign an agent who will likely write a letter telling you here are additional things we need, and we also have these questions.... provide what they ask for adn respond to questions in letter and mail it all back to the agent who wrote you; this process may repeat itself once or twice.\n\nOnce IRS issues a 'determination letter,' you are officially a 501(c)(3) and can give your donors a contribution (tax) deduction.  You can actually start raising funds before  you get the determination letter (it will take at least 6 months to get it and most likely, longer than that) if you tell your donors in writing that you have filed Form 1023 and expect to receive a determination letter eventually, but can't guarantee that IRS will grant you 501(c)(3) status.\n\nSixth, before you do any fundraising, call the secretary of state in each state in which you plan to solicit funds and ask them if you need to register your nonprofit prior to soliciting funds in that state.  Some require registration, some don't.\n\nSeventh, you need real estate.  You can either rent or buy, but either will require you to have some net worth in the nonprofit, hence the need for contributions.  Maybe a generous landowner will let you use a house for free, who knows.  Anyway, you will need several permits and licenses including a certificate of occupancy.... contact your city hall and tell them what you plan to do and ask what paperwork you need to fill out to get a certificate of occupancy (CO).\n\nThen contact the governmental unit (either county or city) that handles social services, or contact your county's juvenile court -- and tell them your plans and ask what permits or licenses you'll need.\n\nObviously, this is just a starter list but if you do the above it will at least help you get off the ground.  The paperwork, you can handle.  What you really need help with is money.  So once you get incorporated, you should start fundraising.\n\nYou'll also need real estate and business savvy -- so as you start soliciting funds, see if you can recruit knowledgeable people (not just friends, people who really know their stuff) to be on your Board of Directors.  For real estate folks you might consider just cold-calling a couple real estate companies (e.g., who list and fill commercial leases) and see if you can talk to someone young with an open mind, maybe they'll agree to serve on your board.  For either the real estate or business side, try to get a hold of a young lawyer at a mid- to large size firm, they're always eager to build their resumes.\n\nGood luck, I real
956504
Do you intend to make them victims of horrible crimes?   Consider their safety first.   Review websites like  http://kids.getnetwise.org/\n\nThen discuss this with their parents. \n\nGood luck
152457
http://www.craigslist.com has lots of room for rent opportunities, but they tend to be for major metropolitan areas only.  See what they have for the area you live and stat from there.\n\nAlso, check out if there is a local women's shelter that can help you out - they often have resources to help women get out of abusive situations.\n\nIf there is a college in or near your town, visit it's student center and look for a bulletin board for roommate wanted ads.  Community colleges and grad schools will tend to have more adult students looking for roommates and thus might be a more accomodating to your kid.  Plus, you're a lot less likely to end up in an apartment with parties keeping you and your daughter up all night.\n\nAlso, make sure your coworkers know your situation.  It might be uncomfortable to bring up, but you'd be surprised how supporting people can be.  If people know you're looking, you'll find that there are very high chances that a friend of a friend is in a similar situation.\n\nHope this helps!
464559
you find ways to do it. i had my daughter when i was still in high school and her father walked out on me. my priorities changed and i lived my whole live for the child that i brought into this world. i don't know how old you are but i do know that there is a program that just started in my area where single teenage mother actually live in a home with other teenage mothers and their babies and they each take turns watching the babies so that they can do homework or go to work. it is a really cool program. i wish it was around when i had my first daughter. good luck.
145403
Take into consideration the age and sex of the person who is going to be occupying it.  For example, a 6 year old girl would like pink things and doll houses.  A 15 yr old boy would like a video game room or sports.  Those all play into the factors.  With a little immagination, Im sure you can come up w/ something fantastic.
10450
Get your facts and information straight and well- organized- include names and dates whenever possible.\n\nPresent the information to the nearest TV station with an investigative or consumer help program. Even if they don't give it air time, they can still offer advice.\n\nLook in the community services section of your phone book- contact...\n- free legal aid\n- handicapped services\n- elderly services\n- United Way First Call For Help\n- Habitat for Humanity\n- anyone else that looks good\n- low-income housing programs\n\nIf either is a regular in a church, social or fraternal organization, or even a bar, let them know about the problems and see if they can help somehow.\n\nHOWEVER... let's be realistic here and face a couple uncomfortable points. \n- Low income. With that income it is unlikely that anyone will loan them any money.\n- It sounds like they were living 'off the grid' to some extent (wind/solar, apparently no insurance, etc.) This always makes it harder to get help when it becomes necessary.\n- Living in their own home may not be the best option for two disabled older people. For example, I don't think they would be at the front of the list for a donated home.\n- The father's age alone will work against him in getting some forms of help. Few programs will provide lots of money for rebuilding a house that he might not be able to stay in for a very long time.\n\nAsk for the dream, but be realistic and thoughtfully consider the options and any offers for help.\n\nGood luck!
967741
Go to http://www.score.org/ to find the nearest SCORE chapter.  Contact them to arrange for a free one on one meeting with a SCORE counselor about opening up a teen night club.\n\nSCORE is a nonprofit organization. They provide a public service by offering small business advice and training. .\n\nSCORE's 10,500 volunteers have more than 600 business skills. Volunteers share their wisdom and lessons learned in business. The volunteers are working/retired business owners, executives and corporate leaders.
736984
In a room divide the corners into categories (seasons, colors, dived the months of the years up, etc...) and then depending on the size of the group you might need more than four groups, tell them to walk to the corner of their favorite season, color, birthday month...etc... Then once they get in the divided groups they can talk about what it was that brought them there or you could give them topics to talk about and mingle.\nHope this helps!
727579
Have you thought about big brothers/big sisters.  They are a great organization and could really help out in your situation.  It is extremely important that you get some type of male role model in his life.  \nReports show that approximately 85% of youth in prison, 85% of children with behavioral disorders, 75% of adolescents in substance abuse treatment centers, 71% of all high school dropouts, and 70% of adults serving long-term prison sentences come from fatherless homes.  Fatherless children average significantly higher in terms of teen suicide, illegitimate birthrates, incarceration and unemployment. 63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes.  90% of all homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes and 85% of all children that exhibit serious behavioral disorders come from fatherless homes.  Because only a portion of each age group grew up in a fatherless home, these statistics mean that children from fatherless homes are 5 times more likely to commit suicide, 9 times more likely to drop out of high school, 10 times more likely to abuse drugs, 20 times more likely to end up in prison and to have behavioral disorders, and 32 times more likely to run away than their peers who grow up in intact families with both birth parents.  These trends persist even when socioeconomic factors are controlled for.
417090
They need help, you're probably not the one who can give it to them. Is there a councilling service in their area? Do your parents know? Tell your parents if you can. I don't know how old you are.
227425
Go to Yahoo! Groups and search around.  If there isn't one created, create your own...I know plenty of people who are adults still living with their parents...
620777
Loook i can't advice, but thats a great idea. Start out by maybe pasting signs on the schools walls or soemthing, but call it esay help
684426
Check at your local library and community centers.  they may be able to point you in  the right direction.  Many communities offer summer programs for kids - you might be able toget involved in those.  Volunteer at a  crisis center or shelter - that is good experience.  Also, many crisis lines are answered by volunteers and training is provided for them.
252137
The department of human services would be a good place to start.  Good luck.
339125
Try asking at the department of human services or visit the link below and enquire.  http://www.ezinearticles.com/?Facts-About-Starting-an-Adult-Daycare-Home-Business&id=46196
473524
It depends on what kind of support you are looking for.\n\nIf you are a parent of a school-age child and want to have general parenting support, check with your principal and your parent-teacher organization. If there is a particular parenting issue you are interested in, ask the school counselor about what community organizations already exist, if any, and find out if you can include your school as a meeting site. If there is no group yet, ask the counselor how to start one, or who you should talk to in your district about it.\n\nIf you are a student, identify what you want your group to focus on. Write up your idea, find at least 10 other kids interested in it, and then go to the principal to request group status.
775131
Tell him to talk to his school counselor. They have lots of resources including Child Protective Services that can help him. Also, maybe your parents could be sort of relatives to him and give him a safe peaceful place to visit when it's bad at his house. They could make life a lot better for him.\nYou are a very good friend to want to help him.