Imagine living in fear every day. Fear of abuse. Fear of being bullied or feeling suicidal because life seems hopeless. At Boys Town, we’ve been dedicated to saving children like these for more than 100 years. We offer hope, opportunities and a future for at-risk and struggling youth by helping them to grow into well-adjusted young adults.
The stories included below are from youth who come from all over the country to find hope and healing at Boys Town. Each year, Boys Town programs impact the lives of more than 2 million people across the United States. From our residential Family Homes and foster care to our mental and behavioral health and pediatric clinics to our national crisis hotline, saving children is at the core of our mission.
Boys Town means the world to Hailey…it’s her home and family. It’s the place where her heart softened and where she recaptured the joy and lightness of childhood. Boys Town is where she transformed herself and her future.
Jafar’s life before Boys Town was chaotic and unstable. Once he found himself at Boys Town, Jafar discovered the security, love and consistency he'd always needed. He also found the family, happiness and security he'd never had.
As a young girl, Jennifer was violated by a trusted family member. Traumatized by the event, she turned to alcohol as an escape. Eventually Jennifer’s mother made the decision to send her to Boys Town.
Tyler's early life in New York was beyond difficult. He and his family moved from one burned-out drug house to another. Things got so bad at home that he slept on the subway trains at night.
Before Boys Town, I had no thought of graduating from high school…now I have a whole plan for my future!
Boys Town changed who I wanted to be as a person.
Family-Teachers are the backbone of Boys Town’s Family Home Program. Family-Teaching couples care for six to eight youth living together as a family in one of our Family Homes. This is a rewarding and sometimes daunting task, but Family-Teachers don’t go it alone and are specially trained for their role with around-the-clock support.
