Investing in Our Youth

When Tia learned she would be leaving Children’s Attention Home, she cried.

For weeks, all Tia had talked about was going home.

Like many young people who arrive at Children’s Attention Home, Tia had experienced instability and uncertainty. She struggled to connect with her peers and often found herself at odds with staff. Over time, the consistent care and encouragement she received helped her build trust in the people around her and gain confidence in herself.

As Tia prepared to return home, staff helped her reconnect with her sister, whose encouragement helped ease the transition back to life with her family.

By the time she left, Children’s Attention Home had become much more than a place to stay. It had become a place where she felt cared for, encouraged, and hopeful about what came next.

For Executive Director Tara Burgess, stories like Tia’s capture the true impact of Children’s Attention Home’s work.

Every child who comes through our doors has incredible potential,” Burgess said. “With the right foundation of care, relationships, and opportunities, their story doesn’t have to be defined by where they’ve been—it can be shaped by where they’re going.

Meeting Youth Where They Are

Since 1970, Children’s Attention Home has provided a safe, stable place for homeless, runaway, and at-risk youth facing abuse, neglect, family conflict, and other difficult circumstances. Over the past 55 years, the organization has served more than 9,000 young people throughout York County and the surrounding region.

Today, the Home primarily serves teens and young adults who have experienced trauma, instability, disrupted education, mental health challenges, or the absence of a reliable support system.

While many people may not realize it, youth homelessness and housing instability are challenges facing communities across South Carolina, including York County. For young people experiencing family conflict, abuse, neglect, or the absence of a safe place to stay, organizations like Children’s Attention Home can provide a critical lifeline.

The young people we serve are often facing multiple challenges at the same time—not just one issue,” Burgess explained. “Many have experienced abuse, neglect, or repeated instability, and that has a real impact on their mental health, relationships, and ability to trust others.

A common misconception, she says, is that these young people are defined by their circumstances.

When you take the time to get to know them, you see much more than that. You see their strengths, their humor, their resilience, and their potential.

Building a Foundation for the Future

Children’s Attention Home begins by providing the stability many young people have been missing—safe housing, nutritious meals, transportation, and trusted adults who show up consistently. From there, staff help youth access medical and mental health services, stay engaged in school, develop life skills, and prepare for independence.

Through trauma-informed care, transitional living services, life skills development, and ongoing aftercare support, the organization works to address both immediate challenges and long-term goals. While providing a safe place to stay is an important part of the mission, the focus extends far beyond temporary housing.

We start by making sure youth have what they need right now,” Burgess said. “Our goal is not just short-term stability, but making sure each young person leaves better equipped for what’s next.

Over time, that support often leads to meaningful milestones.

We’ve had youth come to us unsure of what their future could look like, and over time, you start to see those small but important shifts—finishing school, getting a first job, signing a lease, or simply learning how to trust the adults around them,” Burgess said.

A Future Within Reach

For one York County student, that support meant staying connected to his school, his teammates, and the community he called home while building a brighter future.

Kaleb came to Children’s Attention Home during his junior year of high school. Because the Home was able to keep him enrolled in his York County school and involved with his wrestling team, he was able to experience many of the milestones that define a senior year—wrestling season, prom, graduation, and college visits.

Rather than being uprooted during a difficult period in his life, Kaleb was able to remain connected to the people and experiences that mattered most. That stability allowed him to focus on being a student, an athlete, and a teenager while planning for what came next.

This fall, Kaleb will begin college with plans to pursue a career in education.

His story is one example of how stability, support, and opportunity can help young people move forward with confidence and a clear vision for their future.

A Community Effort

Those opportunities are made possible through the generosity of donors, volunteers, businesses, and community partners who believe every young person deserves the chance to succeed.

Children’s Attention Home’s impact reaches far beyond its campus. The organization’s work is strengthened by local businesses, churches, civic organizations, volunteers, and donors who invest in the well-being of young people throughout York County and the surrounding communities.

Over half of the Home’s annual support comes from individuals and private organizations,” Burgess said. “Businesses and community members can support our mission through financial gifts, sponsoring and attending events, providing needed items, and simply helping share our story. That awareness and support make a bigger difference than people often realize.

For community members, that support can take many forms, from volunteering and donating to lending their expertise and leadership. For BNA CPA Meagan DenOuden, it meant joining the Children’s Attention Home Board of Directors.

I have known about Children’s Attention Home for many years through my church, but after adopting both of our boys, I developed a deeper passion for helping children from all walks of life,” DenOuden said. “Joining the board is an opportunity to give back and support an organization that makes a meaningful difference in the lives of children.

Through her role on the board, DenOuden has gained a deeper appreciation for the organization’s impact.

In learning more about Children’s Attention Home, one of the things that stands out most is hearing the youth themselves say that the Home does things differently,” she said. “The children are treated as individuals, supported in ways that meet their unique needs, and genuinely cared for by a staff that consistently goes above and beyond.

Looking Ahead

As Children’s Attention Home looks to the future, Burgess is energized by the opportunity to expand the organization’s impact and continue building a continuum of support for the youth it serves.

What excites me most is the opportunity to deepen our impact and expand what’s possible for the young people we serve,” she said. “Every investment we make—in programs, people, and partnerships—creates more opportunities for them to thrive.”

If there is one thing Burgess hopes people remember, it is simple:

Stability can change everything.

For Tia, it meant finding a place where she felt safe enough to trust. For Kaleb, it meant having the support to pursue his future while remaining connected to his York County community. And for thousands of young people over the last 55 years, it has meant the opportunity to write a new chapter in their story.

Their stories are a reminder that when a community invests in its young people, lives can change. For generations, Children’s Attention Home has helped ensure that vulnerable youth throughout York County and the surrounding region have the support, stability, and opportunities they need to build brighter futures.

How You Can Help