25 Years, 25 Reasons

25 years. 60,000 lives. One promise--hope for a better future. This is Promise House. For the past 25 years we have opened our doors 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to runaway, homeless, and at-risk teens.

Over 6,000 teens run away from home every year in Dallas. And on any given night, over 1,000 teens are on the street, "sofa surfing" (moving from place to place), or involuntarily out of their homes. Kicked out, abandoned, down and out, they come to Promise House for hope and healing. We give many of these teens not a second chance, but their ONLY chance for a better life.

I've been with Promise House 11 of those 25 years. I've met extraordinary young people who, inspite of horrific trauma, have perservered, maintained, healed, succeeded. And most extraordinary of all is the fact they can still smile, can still laugh, play, and be typical teens--if given the chance.

So, in our 25th year, here are 25 reasons to contribute to the continued success of Promise House and the thousands of teens who look to us every year as their safety net, their anchor:

1. We need your help.
2. It is a worthy cause.
3. It could be your teen.
4. They need your help.
5. It will make you feel good.
6. You were once a teen.
7. We get results.
8. You'll be contributing to a warm bed.
9. You'll be contributing to 3 meals a day, every day.
10. You'll be contributing to medical and dental care.
11. You'll be contributing to shoes, socks, underwear, jeans, shirts, p.j.s.
12. You'll be helping homeless young mothers like Sarah become outstanding parents.
13. You'll be contributing to babies' and toddlers' well-being.
14. You will help keep at-risk teens at home and off the street.
15. We need to pay our passionate and dedicated staff.
16. We need to keep the lights on.
17. We need to be available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
18. You will feel happy.
19. You will feel proud.
20. You will feel useful.
21. We will feel happy.
22. Our teens will be happy.
23. You will save a life.
24. You will give hope.
25. If it was your child, you would want all the help you could get.

Please help. To contribute, go to www.promisehouse.org.