The 2024 Outlaw Adventure Run to benefit the YWCA GRIT Center will be held Saturday, April 6, 2024 starting at 10:00 a.m. at the Bill McKinney Softball Complex at Heritage Park, 2202 Waterworks Road, St. Joseph, MO, 64501. Donations for the event will directly benefit the continued development of the YWCA GRIT Center for teens.
The YWCA GRIT (Growing Resilient Independent Teens) Center is a safe place for teens ages 12-19. Using Positive Youth Development frameworks, the GRIT Center fosters the belief that teens are resources to be treasured, not problems to be solved. The GRIT programs offers the following opportunities to teens in St. Joseph and the surrounding areas:
Drop-in Resource Center- The Grit Center offers a place for teens to interact with other teens in a formal and informal setting. Informal interactions include: playing games, watching TV, relaxing and conversing in comfortable lounge areas, playing video games, creation station for art and crafts, and other activities as suggested by the teens. Opportunities for formal interactions take place during staff, volunteer and professional led workshops. These workshops focus on teaching a skill, art therapy, independent-living and life skills, fun activities, staff led support groups, community service activities, and educational and recreational field trips determined and planned by the teens.
Mentoring- Community Members, organizations, college students, clergy and local professionals donate their time and talents to mentoring teens at The GRIT Center. These community members work towards building relationships with the teens.
Teen Parent Support – The YWCA Healthy Teen Parents/Healthy Babies program operates within The GRIT Center. By offering positive support through school and home visits, mentorship and mentor mixers, peer group meetings, and child development resources through collaboration with Parents as Teachers, HTP/HB helps teen parents address many of the personal and social barriers to school continuation, relationship building, raising a healthy baby and the support of caring adults. Outreach Services - In addition to offering services to teens that participate in programs within the GRIT Center, the YWCA offers outreach services to youth in the community. GRIT Center staff partner with youth serving organizations, churches, the St. Joseph School District, local non-profits, local libraries, etc., to bring programming to teens that aren't being served on-site.
