Green Light Bulbs Call Attention To Plight Of Runaways

CHICAGO (WBBM) - Volunteers handed out green light bulbs on North Michigan Avenue Thursday afternoon to try to draw attention to the plight of runaways, and a group that tries to help them.

The Chicago event was lower key than New York's National Runaway Prevention Month ceremony, in which singer Cyndi Lauper threw a switch bathing the Empire State Building in green light.

Green is the adopted color of the National Runaway Switchboard, whose chairman, Jim Criner, was among those handing out the light bulbs on Michigan Avenue. He said the group helps more than 100,000 of the up to 2.8 million U.S. teens who run away each year.

"There's often a failure to connect between parents and kids," Criner said. "There's a failure to really understand each other, and the roles that each one has."

Criner said most teens who hit the road find a hard life and unexpected problems. He said that the switchboard's crisis intervenors can direct teens to medical and psychological help, find them shelter and mediate.

Those teens who decide they wish to go home can get help through the Switchboard also. It has partnered with Greyhound Corp. to provide free transportation home. Criner said the "Home Free" program has reunited more than 17,000 teens with their parents.

Criner said that the non-profit group has a $2.6 million budget, but received only $1.6 million in public subsidies in the past year, most of it from the federal government.

The Switchboard's toll-free number is 1-800-RUNAWAY and its website is www.1800runaway.com.