Why now?

It doesn't have to be this way.

The statistics below unveil a horrific reality that can and must be reversed. Many young people in Amarillo are caught in a downward spiral and don’t know where to turn. Today more than ever, young lives desperately need to be restored, renewed and redeemed. If we do not provide an alternative now, young people will seek a sense of belonging
elsewhere--misguided peers, the drug culture, premature sexual relations, criminal activities. Their decisions will lead to destructive cycles that are difficult—if not impossible—to get out of on their own.
Local statistics regarding teen pregnancy, substance abuse and suicide have painted a dismal picture of Amarillo youth in recent years.
Teen Pregnancy
  • Teen pregnancy rates in Potter and Randall Counties have gone up since 2008 despite the decreasing trend seen across the US.1
  • The teen pregnancy rate in Texas is the third highest of all 50 states in the U.S.2

Teen Substance Abuse
  • Methamphetamine abuse is worse in Potter County than in any other county in the state of Texas.3

Teen Suicide
  • In Texas, suicide is the second leading cause of death for 15 to 19-year-olds. Almost as many teens die by suicide as those who die from all natural causes combined.4
Research shows that a strong, functional family unit greatly reduces the risk of children becoming one of the statistics above. Both mothers and fathers play important roles in the growth and development of children. The number and the type of parents (e.g., biological, step) in the household, as well as the relationship between the parents, are strongly linked to a child’s well-being.5

Family Structure
  • Between the years 2006-2010, over 12,000 children lived in single parent households in Potter County, representing 43.3% of the county population under age 18.6
  • Between the years 2006-2010, nearly 7,000 children lived in single parent households in Randall County, representing 26.8% of the county population under age 18.7
Foster Care
  • In June 2012, there were 349 children in foster care in Randall and Potter Counties.8
  • 40 to 50 percent of children in the foster care system will never complete high school. Sixty-six percent of them will be homeless, go to jail or die within one year of leaving the foster care system at 18.8
  • 80 percent of the prison population once was in foster care, and girls in foster care are 600 percent more likely than the general population to become pregnant before the age of 21.8
Where will these students find the care and support that comes from a strong family foundation if their own families are unable to provide it? What kind of support system can they turn to that will help them overcome mistakes and make better choices for the future?

LifeTree Legacies

We believe God has called us to address this urgent need at this moment in time; He has provided resources and placed us in a position to help change the direction of many young lives and their families in the Amarillo area.

As adult believers with expertise in the areas of athletics, horses, woodworking, entrepreneurship, and student ministry, we recognize that life-long transformation happens gradually. It is often the result of repeated interactions, discoveries and commitments made over an extended period of time.

We also know that transformation happens powerfully in a Christ-centered community. Here, accountability is modeled, responsibility is fostered, and a sense of belonging is developed.
>How will we help?
Footnotes.
1. connectamarillo.com
2. http://www.thenationalcampaign.org/policymakers/statefiles/Texas.pdf
3. Gulf Coast Addiction Technology Transfer Center
4. http://www.sccenter.org/teens_facts.html
5. Amato, P. R. (2005). The impact of family formation change on the cognitive, social, and emotional well-being of the next generation. The Future of Children, 15(2), 75-96.
6. http://datacenter.kidscount.org/data/bystate/stateprofile.aspx?state=TX&cat=1872&group=Category&loc=6702&dt=1%2c3%2c2%2c4
7. http://datacenter.kidscount.org/data/bystate/stateprofile.aspx?state=TX&cat=1872&group=Category&loc=6705&dt=1%2c3%2c2%2c4
8. statistics provided by Arrow Child and Family Ministries http://amarillo.com/news/local-news/2012-06-24/what-comesnext