Koinonia Breaks Ground on Construction Workshop for Foster Youth

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Dozens of community members joined local foster youth and staff at Koinonia Homes for Teens and representatives from Beazer Homes and its Trade Alliance to break ground on the Dream Builders Workshop in Loomis on Aug. 9. The workshop, which is being constructed by Beazer Homes and its Trade Alliance, will provide foster youth at Koinonia with hands-on training in construction disciplines, including concrete, plumbing, framing, electrical, roofing, heating and air.

“This is going to be an incredible opportunity for the kids in our program to train in a growing field so they can leave the foster care system ready to work and earn a living,” said Bill Ryland, director, Koinonia Homes for Teens. “Too many foster youth leave the system unprepared and become homeless. We are grateful to Beazer Homes and its Trade Alliance for recognizing the amazing potential of these kids and for their generosity in building this workshop.”

The Dream Builders Workshop will stand alongside Koinonia’s Tech Classroom, which was funded by Principal Financial and is training foster youth in 3D modeling, music engineering and more. When Beazer Homes representatives toured the career center, they began talking with Koinonia about building a career pipeline into the construction industry and the idea of the Dream Builders Workshop was born.

“We’re proud to invest in our community’s youth by partnering on the Dream Builders Workshop,” said Laura Stickelman, president, Beazer Homes Sacramento division. “By learning important life and job skills, they’ll be poised for successful careers in the construction industry.”

Koinonia Homes for Teens, a division of Koinonia Family Services, has eight homes located in Placer and Sacramento counties, and a Placer County Office of Education WASC-accredited School and Treatment Center in Loomis. Koinonia is one of the premiere adolescent mental health and trauma-informed treatment programs in the state. Each home is staffed with caring professionals that bring a home-like atmosphere and quality treatment during this difficult out-of-home placement. Visit http://teens.kfh.org.

Headquartered in Atlanta, Beazer Homes (NYSE: BZH) is one of the country’s largest homebuilders. Every Beazer home is designed and built to provide surprising performance, giving more quality and more comfort from the moment of move-in, saving money every month. With Beazer’s Choice Plans™, owners can personalize primary living areas – giving a choice of how to live in the home, at no additional cost. And unlike most national homebuilders, Beazer empowers customers to shop and compare loan options. Beazer’s Mortgage Choice program gives resources to compare multiple loan offers and choose the best lender and loan offer, saving homeowners thousands over the life of a loan. Beazer builds its homes in Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Maryland, Nevada, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. Visit Beazer.com or check out Beazer Homes on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Koinonia Homes for Teens and Raiders Break Ground on New Teen Substance Abuse Facility

Posted on by kthebaud
Koinonia Homes for Teens breaks ground on new teen substance abuse facility

NFL Hall of Famer and Raiders legend Fred Biletnikoff, several Oakland Raiders and the Raiderettes joined the Biletnikoff Foundation to break ground on Koinonia Homes for Teens’ latest residential facility in Loomis for teens battling substance abuse – Tracey’s Place of Hope. The event on July 23 included refreshments and music, a speaking program, the groundbreaking, partners in the three-year fundraising process and city and county officials.

“At Tracey’s Place of Hope, we will restore the hope and dreams of these abused and exploited young ladies,” said Bill Ryland, director, Koinonia Homes for Teens. “We are so grateful for the partnership between Koinonia and the Biletnikoff Foundation and look forward to empowering more young women to overcome substance abuse and associated violence.”

The home is named in honor of Fred and Angela Biletnikoff’s daughter, Tracey, who passed away due to substance abuse violence. Tracey’s Place of Hope provides substance abuse and domestic violence treatment through its residential program, preparing teenage girls ages 14-18 to manage their recovery, support their mental and emotional health issues, and teaching them the necessary skills to live independently. The new Koinonia Homes for Teens facility will be more functionally supportive with added sleeping quarters and communal space.

“It is rewarding to break ground on something that we have been working on for so long,” said Angela Biletnikoff. “Tracey’s Place of Hope is already a place of hope and recovery, but our efforts are to improve the overall functionality and condition of the home for the girls’ safety. We’re moving the chains, and it is amazing.”

Over half a million dollars has been fundraised for this project with the help of the Biletnikoff Foundation donors, partners and friends, along with a most recent donation of $50,000 presented by Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis.

The Biletnikoff Foundation is dedicated to supporting youth, primarily from low-to-moderate income neighborhoods or backgrounds who are at risk, particularly to the realities of drug and alcohol addiction and domestic and gender violence. The foundation’s mission is to commemorate Tracey Biletnikoff’s life and her untimely death and to enable young people to realize their full potential through the support of community and education programs that effectively address the related problems of substance abuse and gender violence. For more information, visit www.biletnikoff.net.

Koinonia Homes for Teens, a division of Koinonia Family Services, has six homes located in Placer and Sacramento counties, and a Community School and Treatment Center in Loomis. Koinonia is one of the premiere adolescent substance abuse treatment programs in the state. Each home is staffed with caring professionals that bring a home-like atmosphere and quality treatment during this difficult out-of-home placement. For more information or to make a donation, visit http://teens.kfh.org.