The Ryan Home: A Haven of Hope

May 5, 2023

By Susan Gallagher, Staff Writer

Dante was late for school again. The 16-year-old had spent the long, frigid night in a car with his mother, struggling to stay warm. A safe overnight parking spot was a rare find that seemed to be getting farther and farther away. The car was Dante’s home.

Homelessness is a cruel reality for more than 2,000 young people in Maine. Sadly, this big-city scourge is seeping into our small towns and growing like an invasive weed. Dante is one of the lucky ones who found help in the form of the Ryan Home Project, a nonprofit based in North Berwick that provides a safe place to stay for homeless teenage students in MSAD 60.

The Ryan Home is shining a bright ray of hope through the dark despair of this ongoing tragedy, offering shelter at the home itself or at the home of a host family. In Dante’s case, an older couple, whose own children were grown and gone, opened their home and hearts to the young boy. He would live with the couple for six months, enough time to change the trajectory of his life.

Susan Austin is the director of the Ryan Home and remembers how “super anxiety-provoking” the youth’s lateness to school was for him when homeless. “He hated being late,” she says. “He wanted to do well in school.” She adds, “He really struggled with the uncertainty of everything.” Once settled in a safe home, Dante was able to continue his education and arrive at his longed-for classes on time. Eventually, he was fortunate to reconnect with his dad and move in with him.

In addition to heading the Ryan Home, Austin has spent the last 22 years as the assistant superintendent of school administrative district 60, which encompasses North Berwick, Berwick, and Lebanon. She also serves as the homeless liaison for students, which brings homeless teens to her attention, and would be the catalyst that inspired her to start the Ryan Home.

There is sadness in her eyes as she describes the struggles of the teens she has been charged with helping. “We always had students couch surfing, sleeping in cars, in the woods,” she says. “One boy was actually sleeping under someone’s porch steps.” She sighs and adds, “This is an ongoing problem that people tend not to see. To make matters worse, these kids don’t want to bring attention to themselves, so they are somewhat floating under the radar.”

One Friday afternoon in 2017 proved to be the last straw for Austin. Three students showed up in her office on the same day, all with no place to go that night. She said to herself, “If we don’t do something about this, who will?” Susan realized that she was at a time in her life when she was able to say, “I can take this on.”

Like a stroke of fortune, a big yellow farmhouse across from the North Berwick Elementary School caught her eye one day. The home seemed to call out to her, and a bold idea was born. What a great place this would be, she thought, for a shelter home for these kids. The home happened to be for sale, and with help from the owners and generous support from the community, Austin was able to purchase the property. After much fundraising and renovation, the Ryan Home, named in honor of the family who sold the property, opened in January of 2020.

The sunny yellow house presents a cheerful façade. By the front door, a wooden porch swing invites new arrivals to relax and stay awhile. The interior of the home has a comfy, lived-in farmhouse feel, with spacious rooms and large windows that let in a profusion of light.

The home can house six teens between the ages of 14 and 19, although the younger ones are generally placed with host families. Some of the young people stay for a few months, some for years, depending on the need. Supervision is provided in the form of house parents, who live at the home and help with basic needs. There are rules to follow, just like in a family home, including attending school, doing chores, and showing respect for the home and the house parents.

Meg and Andy Fox have served as house parents since the home’s inception. A gentlemannered blue-eyed woman, Meg has her own childhood story to tell. “My mom got really sick when I was young,” she says. “We ended up losing our house.” Her own experience gives her a feeling of kinship with the kids.

“When I was a kid,” she goes on to say, “I felt like nobody else was going through this. Now, I look back and realize that I was not alone in my situation.”

A high school teacher for more than two decades, Meg has always gravitated toward teens who need a little extra support. “There were times when I wished I could bring them home with me, and give them a safe place,” she says. She smiles when she adds, “And so now, that is kind of what we are doing here at the Ryan Home.” She admits it is a lot of work, especially emotional work, but says, “It’s great to know we are providing a stable place for kids to be.”

Fox realizes the lack of understanding that exists regarding the homeless. “Homelessness can happen to anyone,” she stresses. “People tend to think of the stereotypical bum, but anyone who doesn’t have a stable living situation can be considered homeless.”

As to the root causes of this crisis, there are many, but Director Susan Austin breaks it down into the most prevalent: the opioid epidemic, substance abuse in the home, mental health issues, and lack of affordable housing. In addition, she has seen many cases where the family structure has simply broken down. “The kids don’t feel supported at home,” she says. “Kids are making decisions they are not ready for. Sometimes it’s not a good decision to leave their families, but sometimes it’s their only choice.”

Raiden is one of the Ryan Home’s success stories. At 18, eager to begin his senior year at Noble High School, his situation at home had become untenable for him. While he had a wonderful relationship with his mom, a sibling’s mental health issues were causing Raiden to feel unsafe.

In September of 2021, he found his safe haven at the Ryan Home, where he would live until completing high school. From there, he was off to an apprenticeship in heavy machinery operation and is now working full time.

It is this kind of successful transition the organization strives for. Susan Austin is effusive about the promise she sees in these kids. “I’ve always loved teens,” she says. “I see them as our future.” It is the future of each of these teens that is the primary focus of the Ryan Home.

Austin is quick to emphasize the inclusion of parents in this equation. “Whenever possible,” she states, “we work on reunification with the parents. Our goal is not to separate kids from their families.” She adds in a serious tone, “We never want parents to feel they are not part of the system with us.”

Looking back on 2022, the organization is proud of its accomplishments. Over the course of the year, they housed four students, successfully transitioning three of them into life after high school. One student happily reunited with mom, one found the security of financial independence in full-time employment. Another transitioned into a Portland adult program and is searching for employment opportunities while developing important life skills.

In addition, the Ryan Home currently has three students safely ensconced in host homes in the community. The nonprofit stresses that the term ‘family’ is flexible as it applies to host families. A family is not required to be typical, just welcoming.

Christmas of 2022 holds special memories for the Ryan Home. The kids received an abundance of thoughtful, warm gifts from benevolent donors. One young student was especially touched, noting that this was a Christmas she won’t forget because she felt so much care.

Going forward into 2023, another crucial and ambitious goal of the nonprofit is to spread awareness of teen homelessness. “This is not just a problem here, in our school district,” Austin says.” It is in every single town.” She goes on to say, “We reach out to other towns and cities, and encourage them to do something like what we are doing.”

Fundraising is vital to the mission of the Ryan Home. “We survive on donations,” Austin says. She is awed by the extent of the support they have received. “Watching our communities support this very little piece of the world has been inspiring,” she says. “The connections in this community have changed me. This gives me hope all the time.”

And it is hope, above all else, that the Ryan Home is giving to the teens they shelter. Hope for security, hope for a better life and hope for a bright future.

For more information, go to www.theryanhomeproject. org.