RENO, Nev. – The Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO) is proud to announce it has been designated a Safe Place site by our community’s Safe Place agency, The Children’s Cabinet, and will be implementing a human trafficking training program for every airport employee.
The Children’s Cabinet is RNO’s partner in handling any potential Safe Place occurrences and to help ensure timely and respectful managing of such situations. In partnership with The Children’s Cabinet, RNO will be ready to assist troubled youth whether they are running from an abusive home or trying to escape the clutches of a human trafficker.
“At The Children’s Cabinet, we aim to keep all children safe, and through Safe Place, provide immediate and accessible resources and support if they need help,” said Kim Young, The Children’s Cabinet Executive Director. “We believe Reno-Tahoe International Airport is a critical safety site in our list of local partner locations for children in crisis or dangerous situations.”
As a Safe Place site, the Safe Place logo is now displayed throughout the airport to provide a visual cue to troubled youths so they can seek help and safety by approaching any airport employee. In addition, RNO will be implementing a human trafficking training program for each employee that includes a video by the American Association of Airport Executives.
“With 4.2 million annual travelers who pass through the door of Reno-Tahoe International Airport, it makes sense for RNO to be a safe place for youth who may be in need,” said Marily Mora, President and CEO of the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority. “We are pleased to work with our local partner, The Children’s Cabinet, to support their programs for area youth.”
Since 2003, The Children’s Cabinet has provided the program for teens age 12-17 in Washoe County with a toll-free number that youth can call or text 24 hours a day if they feel their safety is threatened at home, school, or in the community. A Children’s Cabinet case manager responds immediately, day or night, meeting the teen in person, providing shelter if necessary, and then assisting with family counseling and case management. The Children’s Cabinet helps over 300 local youth through Safe Place and its transitional living center each year, and its street and school outreach team reach an additional 13,000 youth by giving presentations, distributing resources and information, or talking one-on-one.
Safe Place is a national youth outreach and prevention program for young people under the age of 18 (up to 21 years of age in some communities) in need of immediate help and safety. Safe Place designates businesses as Safe Place locations, making help readily available to youth in communities across the country. Locally, Project Safe Place maintains a growing network of over 65 local businesses, including McDonald’s restaurants, retail stores, restaurants, non-profits in the area, the entire fleet of RTC buses, and Reno-Tahoe International Airport.
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The Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority receives no state or local funding. All operating revenues are derived from tenant and concession fees. The Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO) is the 66th busiest commercial airport in the United States, with more than 4.2 million passengers per year. For more details, visit www.renoairport.com.