Covenant House Pennsylvania Executive Director To Testify Before The Senate Judiciary Committee on Behalf of Runaway And Homeless Youth

Jerome Kilbane to urge Congress to provide more support for at-risk youth aging out of the foster care system.

New York, NY -- Covenant House Pennsylvania Executive Director Jerome Kilbane will testify on behalf of homeless and runaway before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee this Tuesday, April 29, 2008.

"I'm honored to have a chance to be a voice for homeless and runaway kids who have no voice of their own," said Kilbane. "Too many young people 18-21 years of age are suffering on the streets, too old for the Child Welfare System but too young for the adult system. Covenant House is the bridge for this gap, but we need more funding to provide more beds and services. By meaningfully addressing the needs of this population now, we can reduce the number of homeless young adults."

Mr. Kilbane will join other service providers to propose solutions to the problems of homeless and runaway youth at a special hearing, "Living on the Street: Finding Solutions to Protect Runaway and Homeless Youth." Addressing the Re-authorization of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act, the hearing will take place in the Dirksen Senate Office Building, Room 226, at 10:00 a.m. A bill reauthorizing this act is expected to be introduced by the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) soon after the hearing.

"Every day at 21 sites across the United States, Mexico, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Honduras, staff and volunteers at Covenant House are fighting for the rights and the lives of homeless and runaway youth," said Sister Patricia A. Cruise, President of Covenant House International. "Jerry Kilbane has dedicated his professional life to the care and the advocacy of young people in need. The entire Covenant House family is proud of his efforts to support our kids and the re-authorization of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act."

"What Covenant House, and what this Act does, is try to reach young people when they are in crisis and help them stabilize and reach their potential," said Kilbane. "If we do not meet the needs of these at-risk youth, they are likely to enter the more costly child welfare and juvenile justice systems or suffer on the street without the skills or resources to make it on their own. By combining Street Outreach, with Crisis Center, and long-term transitional living programs, we find that we are successful in getting -- and keeping -- kids off the streets. But we need more funding for more beds to save more lives."

At the hearing Kilbane will join Mark Redmond, executive director of Spectrum Youth and Family Services in Burlington, Vermont; former homeless youth Michael Hutchins; two-time academy nominee Djimon Hounsou; and National Network for Youth CEO Victoria Wagner in an effort to inform congress of the great need to support and fund programs for the millions of homeless and runaway youth throughout the country.

In 2007, Covenant House reached 65,849 homeless children, offering them food, shelter and other services with the hope of giving them the chance to create a more positive future for themselves. Covenant House provides 24/7 crisis care and on-going support for young people in need of a safe haven. Covenant House Pennsylvania provided services for 3,525 young people, and is the largest provider of shelter and services to homeless and runaway youth in the Commonwealth. Assistance can be found by simply calling the Covenant House NINELINE (1-800-999-9999) or visiting www.nineline.org. More information about Covenant House and resources for homeless youth can be found at www.CovenantHouse.org.

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