Our Poplar Group Home in Memphis also serves as a Safe Place emergency shelter for runaway and homeless teens who need help fast.
Staffed 24 hours a day, the runaway shelter is for teens, aged 13 to 17, who are seeking respite from family problems or find themselves in any dangerous situation.
Many teens make the decision to "hit the streets" when things get tough at home or in school. Safe Place provides easy access to Youth Villages Runaway Shelter services through a network of local business and organizations in Memphis & Shelby County. Safe Place sites can be identified by the yellow and black Safe Place sign displayed at their entrances (see list at right).
Teens who need help can go to these locations to connect with trained volunteers as well as transportation to the shelter.
For more information about Safe Place or the assistance provided, call (901) 276-SAFE. Help is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
For more information about Youth Villages Runaway Shelter, e-mail darnell.austin@youthvillages.org.
For more information about Project Safe Place, e-mail jan.palmer@youthvillages.org.
How to Get to Youth Villages Runaway Shelter
Teenagers in need of help can access Safe Place in three ways:
- Come to the Youth Villages Runaway Shelter. It is located at 1582 Poplar in Midtown Memphis. Here's a map. Or call 276-SAFE for directions.
- Call the Safe Place hotline: (901) 276-SAFE. You can call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- Go to any Safe Place site - businesses, governmental buildings and churches throughout the Memphis area (see list at right).
Find a Safe Place nationwide at nationalsafeplace.org. Youth in crisis can text the word SAFE and their current location to the number 69866 and they will receive an address of the nearest Safe Place site and contact number for the local youth shelter. In cities that don't have a Safe Place program, the youth will receive the name and number of the youth shelter or, if there is no local shelter, the National Runaway Switchboard Hotline Number (1-800-RUNAWAY).