Broken Connections Inc

Programs: Broken connections, inc. (bci) is a critical component in the city of east cleveland fight against runaways and homeless youth. Bci is the only nonprofit program in the city of east cleveland dedicated to serving the runaway and homeless youth population by providing outreach, emergency shelter, and supportive services to strengthen families. The program provided services to 65 youths and their families during 2017. The mission of bci is to alleviate the problems of runaway and homeless youth through age 24; reunite youth with their families and to encourage the resolution of intra-family problems through counseling or other services; strengthen family relationships to build stable relationships for youth; provide families with more access to concrete, dependable resources and support in time of need; and help youth decide upon a constructive course of action for their lives. Bci bcp focuses on preventing runaway and homeless episodes by utilizing a strengths and resilience base approach. A strengths and resilience base approach has a simple premise-identify what is going well, do more of it, and build on it. Strengths are positive factors, both in the youth, and in the environment, which support healthy development. Resilience is the ability to help a youth bounce back, to recover from adverse life experiences.

bci empowers families in the community of east cleveland by assisting homeless, runaway youth access services and resources to support the entire family. Our basic goal is strengthening families. A youth can access our services as a resident or nonresident. Bci has sixteen (16) emergency shelter care beds available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for runaway and homeless youth. A youth is allowed to stay in the program for 21 to 45 days sometimes longer depending on the extenuating circumstances. Once the youth enters the program we immediately work with the parent or legal guardian to prevent any future episodes of running away or homelessness. Bci bcp operates in three shifts 7am-3pm, 3pm-11pm, and 11pm-7am.

other services include: 1. Creating employment opportunities for residents, including low income/homeless, tanf recipients, and non-custodial parents, 2. Attracting new and expanding small businesses, 3. Economic development, 4. Emergency day care services, 5. Educational programs, 6. Transportation, 7. Counseling.