history

1996 – Ethyl Harris, director of the Casey Family Programs in Baton Rouge, was struck about the lack of services for youth aging out of the Foster Care System.  Upon reaching age 18, they had to leave their foster home, and they would have no other home to return to.  If they did not have the skills to live independently, which many did not, they would have to survive on their own.  Without the skills to live on their own, these youth would often either end up on the street, as the next generation of the homeless, or they would end up in jail.  To address this issue, Ms. Harris pulled together a collaboration of state and local agencies who were committed to addressing this difficult problem in our community. Members of the Collaboration include the Casey Family Programs, Gulf Coast Teaching Family Services, Family Services of Greater Baton Rouge, Volunteers of America, the LSU School of Social Work, the Southern University Department of Social Work, the Discovery Family Program, the state Office of Community Services, the state Office of Youth Development, the Capital Area Human Services District and Wybrik Associates.  This collaboration of agencies, all of which were committed to effectively addressing the problem of “aging out,” and the need of those “aging out youth” to acquire the skills necessary for them to transition to independent living, became known as the Baton Rouge Alliance for Transitional Living (BRATL).

1998 – BRATL incorporated at a 501(c)3 entity.  With the financial backing of the Casey Family Programs and a Federal Transitional Living Program grant, BRATL purchased and renovated a house at 332 South Acadian Thruway to house the provide living space for four youth, and to house the administrative offices of this new agency.

1999 – The BRATL agency became operational when staff was hired and trained to work with the transitional needs of “aging out” youth.  Four youth move into the transitional living program, quickly bringing that program to capacity.  Toward the end of the year and the beginning of the next, BRATL began receiving funds from the HUD Emergency Shelter Grants and Supportive Housing Programs.  The Baton Rouge Area Foundation began its support at that time also.

2000 – With major funding from the Casey Family Programs, BRATL purchased outright a 10-unit apartment complex, just a couple of blocks from the original location.  The Transitional Living Program moved to the complex, and our capacity became 10.  The new apartment complex quickly filled up.  By the end of 2000, more that 20 youth had received transitional living services.

2001 – As BRATL became more aware of the needs of the Homeless and Runaway youth in our community, it applied for and received a major grant from the Family Youth Services Bureau (FYSB) branch of the Federal Department of Health and Human Services.  At the end of 2001, the agency purchased a 6000 square foot former synagogue, which it began to renovate.  Also at this time, the Casey Family Programs, in a national restructuring, closed its Baton Rouge office and the major funding source for BRATL was lost.

2002 – Shortly after Casey left Baton Rouge, the Irene W. and C.B. Pennington Foundation provided a major leadership grant to help the agency begin to pay for the Emergency Shelter.  In November of 2002, the Emergency Shelter opened its doors for the first time to provide Emergency Shelter Service for 12 youth ages 10 to 17.  BRATL also applied for and received a FYSB grant for the Transitional Living Program.

2003 – The Advertising Federation of Baton Rouge donated one year of marketing and PR expertise to BRATL.  One of their recommendations, which the agency accepted, is that the name of the agency be changed to Youth Oasis.  So the agency then officially became, Baton Rouge Alliance for Transitional Living doing business as Youth Oasis.

2004 – The agency now is known to the public solely as Youth Oasis.  Youth Oasis again applied for and received a major grant from the FYSB for the Emergency Shelter.  The Wilson Foundation, Fore!Kids Foundation, and the Junior League of Baton Rouge offer support to Youth Oasis.

2005 – Hurricanes Katrina and Rita changed south Louisiana forever.  The aftermath from the storm, however, helped Youth Oasis to move forward in forming a number of collaborations, including those with the Tulane Medical School, and Covenant House of New Orleans.  Major support from other parts of the country came in to strengthen our programs.  The Casey Family Programs of Seattle, Washington was a major part of this support.

2006 – Recognizing that, though Youth Oasis is well know in social services arenas, it was still not well known by the general public, through grants from the Huey and Angelina Wilson Foundation, the Louisiana Children’s Trust Fund and the Junior League of Baton Rouge, we began the Baton Rouge Safe Place program.  Through the program, businesses are to become Safe Place sites where at-risk youth can go to access the services of Youth Oasis.  The Safe Place Coordinator pulled together over 20 agencies in Baton Rouge to collaborate on doing the groundwork to get the program operational.

2007 – Baton Rouge Safe Place became operational in February 2007, and Safe Place began recruiting sites.  Some of the initial sites include the YMCA’s in Baton Rouge, all campuses of the Baton Rouge General and the Baton Rouge Children’s Health Project’s mobile van.  This year, both of the major federal grants through the Family Youth Services Bureau were renewed.  In October, Youth Oasis held its first annual Celebrity Waiters Special Event, where over 250 attended.  Of the attendees, over 160 were new supporters of Youth Oasis.

 

Annually, Youth Oasis now serves the direct emergency shelter needs of over 200 at-risk youth.  As the program has become better know in the community over the past few years, the number of youth served has been steadily rising.  Also, the Transitional Living program serves the transitional needs of about 35 youth annually.  We serve hundreds more each year with our provision of supportive information and referrals.  Many of our emergency shelter youth have been reunified with their families.  Many of our Transitional Living Program youth have graduated our program to go on to college and to stable employment.  We continue to meet the direct needs of these vulnerable youth today.  Also, we continue to advocate to the community for the needs of these youth.  Through Youth Oasis, we are playing a strong part in breaking the cycle of homelessness in our community.  Youth Oasis makes our community better for everyone!