Passionate Advocates Build a Harbour for Youth in Need
Passionate individuals—the doers and donors—are the force behind organizations that
make a difference in the world. The Harbour is no exception to that rule. Our development
was energized by the care and compassion of our early leaders.
In the mid-sixties, services to support youth in need were few and far between. There was
a runaway hotline, but the objective was to convince teens to return home. The futility of
forcing youth to remain in intolerable situations eventually became apparent. Runaways
were seldom persuaded to endure the constant threats from a dysfunctional home.
Vi Schnitz, a powerhouse PTA volunteer for several Evanston schools was among the
activists who understood that if the streets felt safer than a family, more targeted programs
were desperately needed. At her urging, Mayor John Emery established the Evanston
Youth Council. Vi served as its chair for six years. During that time, many new
youth-oriented initiatives were developed including The Harbour, and original
partnerships, like Y.O.U. and the city of Evanston, continue.
The Runaway Youth Act, passed by Congress in 1974 provided the funding to launch the
organization. On July 1, 1975, The Harbour’s first shelter opened in a building on the
campus of the Park Ridge School for Girls.
From the beginning Vi was a force that moved the organization forward. Her persistence
and enthusiasm were irresistible. She recruited The Harbour’s original board of directors,
and they hired a skilled management team with Lorraine Fox, Ph.D. at the helm as
executive director.
Lorraine describes Vi’s leadership like this. “I never met a person who didn’t like her. She
was just a fine woman. She loved kids and she loved helping people. It was my joy to
report to her. My boss was a blessing.”
“These young people need a safe place, and they need to be associated with adults who
care about them and can teach them. The Harbour’s social workers are second to none.”
Gene Servillo, former board chair and long-time director
A 50-Year History of Kindness and Respect
“We started with just a few kids,” Lorraine recalls. “But on a freezing winter night in
Chicago, the street is a scary place to be; the shelter filled quickly. At that time, we were
only allowed to house youth for 21 days. It was the staff’s job to locate more permanent
situations for our residents. Although many were victims of sexual abuse, each girl’s
challenges were unique. The solutions had to be tailored to meet their individual needs.”
Lorraine Fox, Ph.D.“I remember an incident when the police notified us that a child had
been spotted sitting alone on a doorstep for several hours. We discovered that while she
was at school, her parents moved out of their home, taking everything with them but their
daughter.”
Despite the complexity of circumstances that brought
teens to The Harbour, the idea that positive,
confidence-building relationships are essential to
healing was seeded in those early years and
continues today.
“I trained with the renowned psychologist Carl
Rogers,” Lorraine said. “Rogers believed that to
thrive a child needs openness, acceptance, and
empathy. I hired people who valued those qualities.
Working with youth in a correctional center, I had
learned that kindness and respect were the path to
winning their trust. The expertise and compassion of
The Harbour staff was always key to our success.”
These young people
Gene Serville, former board
need a safe place, and
they need to be
associated with adults
who care about them
and can teach them.
The Harbour’s social
workers are second
to none.
chair and long-time director
“The Harbour’s early pioneers were good-hearted people who were concerned about kids on the street and worked hard to find a solution,” Lorraine said. “I’m guessing they never imagined that 50 years later their project would have saved so many children and become so important in improving their lives.
“A succession of excellent directors who nurtured that culture of kindness, respect, and support have made our fifty-year history of sheltering the most vulnerable youth possible.”
Vi and Lorraine are two of many volunteers, staff, and donors who make The Harbour a home. Follow this newsletter to learn more about our exceptional community.