National Runaway Safeline

La Casa Norte’s programs provide an invaluable resource for our callers who are in the Chicago area. These services include permanent, transitional, and emergency housing options to help youth and their families work towards long-term stability. They also have life-skills and technology training, educational support, employment-readiness, case management and many other services available to youth and families in need.

Keith Decker and Peter McQueen founded La Casa Norte in 2002 after volunteering at homeless shelters through the Chicagoland area for several years. Decker and McQueen noticed a gap in services available to males from the ages of 16-21.  La Casa Norte was then born as a concept to improve the lives of young men and women and to help them become self-sufficient. They then named Sol A. Flores as their founding Executive Director to lead LCN.

youth storage LOGOLa Casa Norte was recently featured in an article by Chicago Tonight for providing lockers to Chicago’s homeless youth in the Logan Square area. A program started by the Pierce Family Foundation called the Chicago Youth Storage Initiative provided storage lockers to La Casa Norte for young people who need a safe place to store their belongings. This program significantly improves the quality of life and eases some daily stressors in young people experiencing homelessness.

La Casa Norte is one of nearly 7,000 resources in the National Runaway Safeline’s database. NRS is proud to be a partner in their mission. If you are a youth in crisis or a family member whose child has run away, call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or chat with us online at 1800RUNAWAY.org.

Share This Post

Recent Posts

December 2023 Volunteer of the Month

It’s not often that a nonprofit organization is lucky enough to have long-term volunteers. Fortunately, the National Runaway Safeline (NRS) has been working with John P., our December 2023 Volunteer of the Month, for more than 12 years! John finds that volunteering provides a “meaningful connection with the human experience.” He recognizes something special in helping those in need and wonders why more people aren’t drawn to the fulfilling world of volunteering.

November 2023 Volunteer of the Month

Sam began on her journey with the National Runaway Safeline (NRS) at 16, much younger than the average age of volunteers. She learned about NRS’s volunteer program through her high school\’s list of after-school activities. This led her to sign-up for what she called an eye-opening 40-hour training that was so impactful that she still uses the training material to help guide her through difficult chats. Now, as a college student at Washington University in St. Louis, Sam continues to volunteer by talking to young people and concerned adults who reach out through NRS’s chat service.

Partner Spotlight – Advocates for Children

As Advocates for Children in northwest Georgia celebrates the organization’s 40th anniversary, the team takes pride in their countless accomplishments, including client success stories, new and expanded programs and the purchase and renovation of their new headquarters where all prevention, education and advocacy programs are now under one roof.   

Scroll to Top

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings we’ll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on the NRS website. 

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings we’ll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on the NRS website.