Twenty years in classrooms and on school boards taught me something that has nothing to do with curriculum: most kids who fall behind aren't falling behind because of anything they did. It's the circumstances around them. I saw it again and again in every place I've served.

That's why I said yes to this. A safe place to sleep is a basic need, and it's one that doesn't get funded or talked about nearly enough.

Youth Service Bureau runs the only emergency youth shelter in St. Joseph County. Last year they served more than 2,000 young people. Here's the number I keep coming back to: every youth who came through their transitional housing program left with stable housing, and every one of them met their education and employment goals. Give a kid a safe place, and the rest becomes possible.

So on September 30th, I'm rappelling 25 stories down Liberty Tower. Please help me meet my goal so we can all help YSB continue their important work!