(Chelsea Update would like to thank Katie Helper for the information in this story.)
Chelsea District Library (CDL) and the Chelsea High School Interact Club recently teamed up to help homeless teens in the local community. The annual Teen Supply Drive aims to eliminate anxiety surrounding personal care by collecting a variety of health and hygiene supplies to directly benefit Ozone House in its ongoing mission to provide holistic support and housing services that enhance the wellbeing and safety of young people.
According to Ozone House, there are approximately 1,300 homeless youth in Washtenaw County each year. Homelessness in children can be the result of financial instability, mental illness in their family, abuse, or a host of other issues. Ozone House offers a wide range of services and resources to teens in need – including housing, counseling services, meals, job training, and school support.
The library has hosted an annual supply drive to benefit Ozone House since 2010. The 2023 drive brought the addition of a partnership with service-minded teens from Chelsea High School’s Interact Club, a student Rotary service club that focuses on helping people in the school and community.
Supplies were collected throughout December at the library, Chelsea Senior Center, and each Chelsea School building. Students then gathered at the library to sort and package the collected items, and the packages were delivered to Ozone House.
Teen Librarian Stacey Comfort said in a press release, “We are so pleased to assist Ozone House in their important work supporting local youth in need. I am once again bowled over by the extreme kindness of the Chelsea community. Because of their generosity and the hard work of the amazing teens in the CHS Interact Club, we were able to deliver 12 large boxes of health and hygiene supplies to kids who really need them.”
CDL and the CHS Interact Club thank all who participated.
About Ozone House:
Ozone House is a community-based organization that offers young people, who are in crisis, face homelessness or housing instability, a safe space. Services include emergency services, counseling, drop-in center, transitional housing, job training, leadership opportunities, LGBTQ+ services, college support, school support K-12, and substance abuse support. Ozone House has been in the community since 1969.
For more information visit www.ozonehouse.org.
About Chelsea District Library:
Chelsea District Library (CDL) is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to engage, inspire, and equip through evolving services and resources. CDL currently serves 16,126 residents in the Chelsea library district—City of Chelsea, Lyndon and Sylvan Townships, and the portions of Lima and Dexter Townships within the Chelsea School District.
For more information visit www.chelseadistrictlibrary.org.
