It's a tradition every year in New York City and for the second year, Rochester will produce it's own version of fashion week. It's about the latest and hottest fashion trends but the proceeds will be used to address homelessness in the community. Teen advocates say it’s the fasting growing group of homeless people.
The Center for Youth Services is working to address this problem but it is having a tough time keeping up with the growing problem. Tuesday, the organizers of the fashion week announced the culminating event of fashion week will involve a lavish fashion show and concert by the RPO. But they also want to remind people what this week is really all about.
“We know that there are dozens and dozens of young people who are falling through the cracks.” The money raised during fashion week goes to the Center for Youth Services. Executive Director Elaine Spaull says it will help provide housing for scores of homeless teens. Right now the center is bursting at the seams. “We had a period of about six months when we had to record the number of young people we could not serve and it was about 150 young people 16 to 21 who went un-served, who presented as homeless.”
It will help teens like Jordan McCloud. Trouble at home forced him out into the street when he was at 13 and again when he turned 16. But the Center for Youth has helped steer him away from what could have been. “I'd probably be out here trying to make my way like other kids do. And it probably wouldn't be a legit way.”
Now at 19, McCloud is working on graduating from high school and finding a job. “A lot of kids around here need to find out about the Center For Youth. If you don't have nobody to go to and you out here on the streets and you really not doing anything for yourself and you really don't have that should to lean on or something like, you really do need to come up here.”
This is why partners like the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and Suzanne’s in Pittsford have signed on. Pamela Bearsdley said, “We're excited to just help an know that we're part of an organization that really does help a number of young people in our own city, to give them better options, better choices.”