Ribbon cutting this evening at St Augustine Youth Services

St Augustine Youth Services has invited Historic City News readers to visit their newly constructed Hutson Family Campus, located at 201 Simone Way in St Augustine, for a special ribbon cutting ceremony this evening.

Tours of the campus will be offered during the Open House from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. today with the ribbon cutting at 5:15 p.m.

“Along with the boys, I am proud of our new campus and grateful for all of the time, talent and dollars that have been given to make this dream come true,” said Schuyler Siefker, Executive Director at St Augustine Youth Services. “I look forward to sharing it with old and new friends.”

St Augustine Youth Services is a nonprofit therapeutic group home for children who have been the victims of child abuse or extreme neglect. The former campus was located in two old homes in downtown St Augustine; where Siefker said the cost of maintenance had become extremely difficult, financially.

Groundbreaking for the Hutson Family Campus, whose GPS address is 6624 US-1 South, took place in October 2011. The new campus is located close to a middle school, high school and emergency services and includes an administration building, four residential homes, and sports and recreation areas. The boys have moved into their new homes and are ready to show the community what they have helped to build.

“Thanks to our supporters, we have almost reached our capital campaign goal and we are looking forward to serving more boys in need of our services,” Siefker said. The current staff of 40 employees includes a board-certified child psychiatrist, licensed clinical psychologist, master’s level therapist, licensed mental health counselor, trained houseparents and a youth counselor.