A majority of homeless teens face seemingly insurmountable obstacles and there is hope to help them, but it takes the support of an entire community, according to Tumbleweed Executive Director Sheri Boelter.

“I want to tell you all that there is hope and we need the whole community,” Boelter said. “We all as a group have to first of all be willing to see it,” Boelter said.

On Tuesday, Boelter asked an audience of about 25 people to think of creating a support network for this vulnerable population that goes beyond temporary shelter. She spoke during an informational meeting organized by the Flathead Homeless Youth Committee.

The Flathead Homeless Youth Committee has been meeting for about a year to find a way to create a safe shelter for homeless high school teens and has sought expertise from organizations such as Tumbleweed, Youth Homes and Kalispell Public Schools Homeless Education Liaison Ronda Stevens.

Tumbleweed, based in Billings, is a nonprofit organization that began with concerned community members in 1976. It has grown to provide thousands of runaway and homeless children with crisis and family counseling; a shelter and drop-in center and a program that helps youth transition into independent living.

Tumbleweed focuses on youths 16 through 21.

“The way to do it is to really come together and see what resources you have,” Boelter said. “To say, ‘I have a room I could give, well, we’re talking about kids that have trauma, so think a little bigger.

“We have specialty trauma-informed staff. What we have found — it’s pretty shocking the things that are happening, and the youth know it’s not safe for them. These are our modern-day orphans.”

Boelter provided insight into the trauma homeless youth share when they come to Tumbleweed that brought tears to her eyes and drew gasps from attendees.

“Let’s face it. Adolescents have a bad rap in our community and in the nation. We’re fearful of them. We see them as liars. It’s unfair. I walked with a girl who had been gang-raped by six people and got pregnant as a result and her family outed her because they were so ashamed their young girl was raped,” Boelter said. “I went with her and we were at Walmart and someone was like, ‘What, you don’t have birth control?’”

Boelter said the transitional program has allowed youths to thrive and success starts with hope.

“They need a warm, dry place to thrive and make their dreams a reality, but the reality is, if you don’t have enough hope, if your community doesn’t believe in what I’m saying about the kids, if you don’t believe these kids have potential, then you better start building penitentiaries because they are going to meet your expectations,” Boelter said.

Boelter said many homeless teens take to the streets to escape home lives fraught with neglect or abuse, whether drug-related, physical, mental or sexual.

“We see parents as Tumbleweed kids who didn’t receive Tumbleweed services,” Boelter said.

As in the instance with the pregnant teen, Boelter said one teen was kicked out of home for being gay.

“I pulled in the parents just to say, ‘Do you realize what you are throwing them out to — like within 72 hours they are going to be approached by a criminal to do the unthinkable — and when they get hungry enough, and desperate enough, and start to believe the lies, that ‘If I just do this one little disgusting thing with my body I’ll have a warm place to sleep for the night, if I just drop this drug off I will get a warm meal,’ then that’s what we’re turning them to,” Boelter said.

Under the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act, Tumbleweed has 72 hours to assess a youth’s situation before they are required to contact a parent or legal guardian. Boelter said 70 percent of the time families are reunified. Other teens move into the transitional living program.

Tumbleweed has also recently acquired two buildings to house youths. One member of the audience asked Boelter how much it costs to operate a house.

“[It costs] about $110,000 to operate a home — one case manager, one youth development specialist, a house parent and a counselor,” Boelter said.

The Flathead Homeless Youth Committee began with a group of concerned parents shortly after Stevens was hired as a homeless education liaison for Kalispell Public Schools in February 2013. Parents were shocked to learn from Stevens that close to 300 students in grades kindergarten through 12 enrolled at Kalispell and Evergreen school districts were identified as homeless.

Students identified as homeless lack a fixed, regular or adequate nighttime residence, according to the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.

After learning that there were few options for children under 18 to seek shelter in the valley, the committee has discussed training families to be “host families,” but has since changed direction as committee members learn more about teen homelessness.

There are few options when it comes to housing homeless youths in the valley. Local youth homes have a limited capacity of a couple of pen beds and shelters such as the Samaritan House only serve children under 18 when accompanied by an adult.

Flathead Homeless Youth Committee co-chairwoman Marcia Bumke said the organization’s priorities now include raising $115,000 to place a crisis counselor in high schools and provide a building where students can seek shelter, support, food and basic necessities.

“We are in the beginning stages of strategic planning to address the basic needs of our precious homeless youth,” Bumke said.

So far, the committee has raised $7,610 in donations. Funds are being held by Flathead Youth Homes until the committee receives nonprofit status.

The committee also anticipates a $16,000 grant from the Sinsinawa Dominican Denomination in August after Sister Judy Lund of St. Matthew’s Catholic Church had applied for the grant. Final approval is expected in May.

“As we move forward with this awe-inspiring project we welcome the schools, churches and community to assist us in helping our kids,” Bumke said.

Donations may be made to the Flathead Youth Home, 825 E. Oregon St., Kalispell, MT 59901. People are asked to designate donations for “Flathead Valley Homeless Youth.”

Homelessness of children under 18 resulting from possible abuse or neglect should be reported to the Child and Family Services Division at 1-866-820-5437.