Radke’s goal is open a youth home for homeless teens.
"I have a contact that will help open a youth home in the region 9 area, if I can raise $250,000," Radke said.
In her quest of raising funds to finance the project, she is seeking community groups to sell thirty Four12 calendars at $3 per calendar, thereby raising $300 per group.
Radke believes teens would be better able to communicate with peers, which would make teens in crisis feel more comfortable to obtain assistance or services from adults and other community organizations.
"People become embarrassed because they think they're going through it alone,” said Radke. “I want them to know they're not."
She is also in the process of putting together a board of directors. This board would have Radke and one teen representative from each county. She has an application process in place to apply, because of confidentiality purposes.
Radke has already in place a retired high school counselor who will mentor and train youth members of the Four12.
In addition, she is seeking Four12 community groups and an adult mentor to determine the needs of their community, and bring to the quarterly Four12 meetings.
"The mission of Four12 is dedicated to infusing youth of any background, regardless of circumstances, with hope for a better future and dreams that will propel them to become innovated and engaged individuals,” she said.
Radke focuses heavily on faith. The Four12 is based on the Bible scripture Timothy 1 4:12: "Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.”
Homelessness in Minnesota isn't just a metro problem. It may be in your own backyard or neighborhood. We can all make a difference, before one more soul is lost beneath our wondrous Minnesota blue.
