A safe place to start

COEUR d'ALENE - Pryce Greenfield was 13 when he started visiting Project Safe Place in Coeur d'Alene.

He began spending time at the after-school drop in center because he saw a lot of kids going there to hang out. They were doing fun things and staying out of trouble.

Greenfield, now 18, believes his decision to join those kids changed the course of his life.

"With the kind of people I went with, I probably would have gotten into drugs, would have gotten into fights," he said. "I wouldn't be on the good side of things that I'm on right now."

Greenfield is preparing to ship out any day now to begin what he hopes will be a long career in the United States Navy.

The people at Project Safe Place helped him find jobs, build a resume and provided Internet access when he needed it.

"They helped me make the decision to join the Navy. They brought people from different branches of the military in to talk to us. They helped me study for the test," Greenfield said.

That is what Project Safe Place is all about, said program director Brandi Smitherman.

Located in the basement of St. Vincent de Paul H.E.L.P. Center, 201 E. Harrison Ave., Project Safe Place serves about 15-20 youth when the drop-in center is open from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m., Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

They also provide emergency shelter in host homes, for up to 21 days for youth in crisis. Those could be kids who are homeless, or who are thinking about running away.

Project Safe Place helps them sort through the situation so they can return home, Smitherman said, or connect with an alternative family member if the home is unsafe to return to.

The agency provided 104 shelter nights last year.

For kids who visit the drop-in center, snacks and a hot meal are provided.

The 56 youth who spent time at the center last year had access to recreational activities - ping pong, foosball, movies, games and field trips. They also received assistance in finding medical care, clothing, food boxes, hot meal sites and rental assistance.

Smitherman said they bring in educational programs targeting teen dating violence and substance abuse.

"The kids volunteer. During the summer, we played kickball every Monday morning with the kids at CDA4Kids," Smitherman said.

CDA4Kids is the Coeur d'Alene School District's enrichment, outreach program for younger students.

Project Safe Place youth all go to school, Smitherman said.

"It's one of our expectations," she said.

The door is open to any child.

When a new kid comes to the drop-in center for the first time, Smitherman said he or she usually only stays for a few minutes.

"They usually grab a juice box or something and then leave," she said. "Then slowly, but surely, they keep coming back. It usually takes about a month."

Many of the kids are homeless, Smitherman said. There are 311 students identified as homeless now attending school in Coeur d'Alene. Most of Project Safe Place youth come from Lake City High School, Lakes Middle School and Project CDA.

One of the center's recent visitors is a girl who claims to be 18, but appears much younger. She's "camping out somewhere," Smitherman said.

The girl showed up at Project Safe Place after hearing that the agency had clothes and shoes for youth.

"She was walking to work, and the soles of her shoes had worn out," Smitherman said.

Smitherman said poverty is the factor that usually drives kids to Project Safe Place, even if they aren't homeless. Their families are struggling to stay together, and the kids feel like a financial burden, she said.

"That's why we try to provide so many of those basic services for these kids, and their families," she said. "Most parents know their kids are here. Our goal is to build a relationship with the whole family."

The assistance provided by Project Safe Place is voluntary and confidential, Smitherman said.

The agency operates with limited funding from a federal grant, and relies on charitable donations and volunteers to make ends meet.

Smitherman is the only full-time staff member, and has two part-time employees.

More funding would allow them to serve more youth, she said.

"We would love to be able to be open five days a week," she said.

A fundraiser to benefit Project Safe Place will take place Oct. 1 in Coeur d'Alene.

The annual event is sponsored by the Inland Empire Blues Society, and will feature blues music by Riverboat Dave and the Furtraders with Voodoo Church.

Carl Speer, president of the Inland Empire Blues Society, said the organization began sponsoring the blues benefits years ago for Project Safe Place and Crosswalk, a similar organization in Spokane, after a blues society member said he wished there had been organizations like that available when he was younger so he could have stayed out of trouble.

Lake City Blues Benefit begins at 6 p.m. at O'Shay's, 313 Coeur d'Alene Lake Drive. There will be food specials, auction and raffle prizes. A $10 donation is suggested.

Info: www.voaspokane.org/events or (208) 676-0772