This article was posted on Omaha World Herald
At Boys Town, children’s lives are being changed every day. Ask any one of them how that miraculous change occurred and they will be quick to respond that the love and support they received daily is what made all the difference.
When kids arrive at Boys Town, they don’t know their worth and often feel unloved and of little value. That all changes when they are introduced to their Family-Teachers and become a member of a family in the Boys Town Family Home Program. Family-Teachers make a lasting, positive difference in the lives of the young people who come to depend on them.
Family-Teachers are the backbone of Boys Town’s residential care programs. Family-Teaching couples live in Boys Town family homes with six to eight youth, either all boys or girls homes, providing care 24/7.
They offer youth a second chance and a sense of belonging. The love and support the youth receive help them achieve accomplishments they never thought possible, like graduating from high school, and give them hope and opportunities for the future. Above all, Family-Teachers teach love and life skills, along with patience, compassion and perseverance — and the girls and boys often say Boys Town helped save their lives.
Boys Town is a special place where children and families can find the hope and healing they are desperately looking for and deserve.
Boys Town Family-Teacher Jenny Everett said, “For many of our kids, going to school, not arguing with their parents on the phone, or getting an ‘A’ in a class for the first time is a miracle. While some people may not consider these small things to be miracles, for our kids who are struggling, it is! We see the miracles on their journeys to becoming their best selves every day.”
At Boys Town, children and parents can tap into a wide variety of resources to learn how to help themselves through advice from experts or receive direct care through specialized services. Most resources focus on prevention rather than intervention.