ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. -- It’s a new home filled with hope and opportunity for boys who have been abused or neglected.
"The boys come out here every weekend and they run around and they look and they go ‘this is going to be my bedroom.’ They're really, really excited about it all,” said Schuyler Siefker, Executive Director of St. Augustine Youth Services.
St. Augustine Youth Services, a non-profit group home for boys, is growing too fast for its existing space. So after years of fund raising construction on a much bigger property at U.S. 1 South of Dupont Center is wrapping up with move-in slated for the end of the year. But the holiday gift of a new home will have to wait.
“Everywhere there's a blue box, they stole the wiring. Cut the wiring and this wiring had gone through and all the way around,” said Siefker.
Crooks kicked in the doors and made off with thousands of feet of copper wire valued at $10,000.
"I’m really hoping that they didn't know that they were stealing from children and their new homes."
Siefker says they've counted on the community for $2 million already. Now, on the last leg of a dream come true project, the non-profit will need more money.
“We have an extremely supportive community. Unfortunately in these hard times, due to this we're going to have to ask even more from our community and ask them to help us again."
The group still needs to raise $600,000; much of that was going to pay for a basketball court, a pool, even a playground. Siefker says sadly, now, that money will be spent on additional security like security cameras.
If you'd like to donate to the home for abused/neglected boys, call (904) 829-1770 or send to 50 Saragossa St., St. Augustine. To learn more about the group, visit www.staugustineyouthservices.com.
If you have any helpful information for the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, call Crime Stoppers at 1-888-277-TIPS.
