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Greyhound Helping Runaways Find Safety This Festive Season
Source: Greyhound
Greyhound, the largest provider of intercity bus transportation in North America, is marking its 35th year providing life-saving transportation with its ‘Home Free’ program that helps runaway, homeless, and exploited youth between the ages of 12 and 21 reunite with their families (or legal guardians) through a free bus ticket home or to a stable and safe place.
Greyhound started the free program in 1987 to demonstrate its commitment to servicing communities nationwide.
Over the next few days millions of Americans will be under a winter storm advisory. This will be an exceptionally difficult time for young people who are experiencing homelessness, have run away or are considering leaving home. Call 1-800-RUNAWAY or visit 1800RUN… pic.twitter.com/Q9eBXucfws
— National Runaway Safeline (@1800RUNAWAY) December 22, 2022
After several years, Greyhound partnered with the National Runaway Safeline (NRS), an organization that helps keep youth who have run away and those who are experiencing homelessness safe and off the streets, to amplify the reach of the program. Since 1995, the partnership has helped over 18,000 families by providing free bus tickets.
“While we help young people all year round through our Home Free program, its especially vital during the holidays,” Lourdes Brown, Director of Communications and Corporate Social Responsibility, Greyhound Lines, Inc., said in a press release. “Holidays are about family coming together, and our Greyhound family is devoted to providing young people the chance to reconnect with their families and return to a safe environment.”
In 2022, the NRS and Greyhound saw almost 600 requests for aid. The Home Free program has currently issued more than 220 free bus tickets for the year, valued at nearly $48,000.
