Sister of Social Service Mary Anne Bonpane has been watching homeless young people come and go from the youth center she helped found for six years now.

It’s the going she can’t take anymore.

Sister Bonpane co-founded the WIND Youth Center in 1994 to provide counseling and education programs for homeless and at-risk young people. The drop-in center is located in a small building adjacent to Loaves & Fishes social services complex in Sacramento.

Even though the youth center has been successful in providing breakfast and lunch, laundry facilities and case management services, the work that can be done at the center is limited.

“I’ve worked here for five years and I don’t think I can work another five months without providing a shelter,” Sister Bonpane noted.

The charity applied for and received a federal grant for an emergency shelter so kids living on the streets in abandoned buildings and on the riverbanks will have a place to spend the night.

Sister of Social Service Mary Anne Bonpane talks with teenagers outside the WIND Youth Center. Nancy Westlund/Herald photo

“These kids are hiding out because they’ve left their homes, foster homes or institutions,” Sister Bonpane said. “Many will say as dangerous as it is living on the street, it’s safer than living at home.”

The teen population that most “falls through the cracks,” said Sister Bonpane, is the 15-to 17-year-olds who are too old to qualify for Child Protective Services or family shelters and too young to receive services provided for adults.

“We’d be 75 percent more successful if we had a place for the teens to sleep,” she added. “It’s too dangerous. They’re too vulnerable (on the streets). They’re prey to every kind of exploiter.”

WIND has rented a large six-bedroom house on Mission Avenue, a few miles from their center, where starting in December a trained staff will provide overnight accommodations for youth ages 12 to 18. After completing an interview and intake requirements at WIND, the teens will be driven to the shelter where they may have dinner, participate in a group meeting, do some chores, sleep and then after breakfast return to the center to receive case management services.

“How they’re living is very destructive for them and for the community,” Sister Bonpane said. “We want to get them into a stable living situation first, then get them to become self sufficient.”

Grant funding has left WIND about $50,000 short of the money needed for the shelter, so the charity is seeking community support for their project. Warm clothing, house furnishings and volunteers are also needed.

For more information or to make a donation, call Sister Mary Anne Bonpane at (916) 489-3714.

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