http://www.savingteens.org/pdf/STICC_AN ... T_2008.pdfNovember, 2008Dear Friends,
As 2008 draws to a close, we reflect with great pride on the accomplishments of
SAVING TEENS® In Crisis Collaborative (STICC), an organization dedicated to
providing a long-term solution and lasting recovery for troubled teens and their
families.
Taking a troubled teen through 18-24 months of evaluation, intervention, recovery
and education typically costs over $150,000 per child, a sum that is out of reach to
both families and charities alike. The unfortunate result is that the treatment for
these teens is limited to short-term interventions, all too often leading to a sad
revolving door of relapse and recidivism. The families, likewise, become broken
down under the enormous financial and emotional strain.
Funding long-term care may be a daunting task, but this holistic solution is sorely
needed in our society. Neither health insurance companies nor school systems
commit to anything more than a band-aid approach. STICC was desperately needed
to fill the void, and is currently the only organization in the US that guides and funds
these children from the point of crisis through all the necessary steps to success.
The results of our work are tangible. The 13 year-old son of one of our families was
using drugs and alcohol daily. He was cutting classes, suspended from school, and
involved with gangs. On top of that, his family was in turmoil, his parents’ marriage
collapsing under the weight of both the teen’s problems and grave financial issues,
and his siblings under extreme stress. The whole family was ‘at risk’.
Thanks to STICC, this teen was taken from crisis to success. He completed his
programs, returned to his family, and is doing well in school and at work. And
thanks to STICC, his family was saved as well.
In the teen’s own words:
“If I had not gone away to the programs I did, I would be dead now.”
In his father’s words:
“It was like the hand of God came in and rescued our family.”
SAVING TEENS® In Crisis Collaborative has been a public charity only since 2005,
yet we have built a national organization that has garnered the respect of the
industry, and has received an outpouring of support, both in cash and ‘in kind’ from
both private and public sources.
STICC has recruited an extraordinary Board of Directors and Advisors who are leaders in their
fields of substance abuse medicine, education, psychological counseling, educational consulting,
finance, law, the ministry, and marketing. This group’s strength and vision has afforded our
organization a geographic diversity and expertise across the board.
STICC has forged collaborations that support both our program and our infrastructure. In the
past Fiscal Year alone (July 07-June 08) Collaborators donated over $116,000 of ‘In Kind’
services. For example, programs and schools provide substantial scholarships and fee
reductions. Educational consultants and the legal team provide pro bono services. The SAVING
TEENS® model is predicated on the extensive use of pro bono, volunteer, and reduced-fee
services, and that ensures that the vast majority of the funds we raise go directly to serving the
teens and their families. As a result we’ve been able to significantly reduce the cost to help
families afford this long-term solution.
STICC has inspired individuals from all over the US and the world to donate to our cause. Our
donors are from every economic stratum, and from every age group. Grandparents, parents, and
even young teens in middle and high school, have generously donated to SAVING TEENS® In
Crisis Collaborative, and continue to support our unique mission with their repeat and recurring
gifts.
STICC has received grants and gifts from prominent public and private organizations, including
the United States Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention,
the Livingood Charitable Foundation, the Clif Bar Family Foundation, and the Erie Community
Foundation. STICC has also received matching gifts from businesses at the request of their
employees.
While this is a great beginning for SAVING TEENS® In Crisis Collaborative, we know it is not
nearly enough. There are so many teens who need our support, and need it now. To help them,
we must raise both funds and awareness. Individuals and organizations everywhere must realize
that these teens can be saved, and that the amount of money needed to save a troubled teen is
every bit as well-spent as the same sum a health insurance company already spends to save a
child from cancer or other illnesses. Our Federal government agrees, as demonstrated by the
October, 2008 passage of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act.
Please take a moment to visit our website and read letters from our families. Or, feel free to
reach out to us directly to learn about the lives you have touched through your support of our
unique and exceptional mission.
Sincerely,
John Reuben Patricia R. Abreu
President & Founder Executive Director
