Debbie Haupt at The Reading Frenzy asked me some great questions about Bend Me, Shape Me and about street kids.  I hope you click through to read the whole thing, but here is a tiny taste of what I had to say.

Debra, you’ve volunteered working with what you term “throwaway youth.” What is one thing any of us can do to help even one teen off the streets?

The one thing everyone can and should do is very simple. Notice them. Smile as you pass, maybe even say hi. If they ask you for money and you don’t want to give them any, just smile politely and say, “Sorry, I can’t today.” Nine times out of ten, if you treat them with respect, they will return the favor. Being treated as invisible and contemptuous only erodes a person’s self-esteem which leads to antisocial anger and/or depression.

Once you…