{{Short description|National communications system}} {{Advert|date=November 2014}} {{Infobox organization | name = National Runaway Safeline | logo = | image = National Runaway Safeline staff with Tammy Duckworth.jpg | image_size = 250px | caption = Senator Tammy Duckworth with staff at the National Runaway Safeline in 2019. | type = 24-hour federally designated national communications system | founded = 1971 | founder = | location = Chicago | origins = | leader_title =Executive Director | leader_name = Maureen Blaha | region_served = United States and territories, including Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam | focus = The National Runaway Safeline provides education and solution-focused interventions, offers non-sectarian, non-judgmental support, respects confidentiality, collaborates with volunteers, and responds to at-risk youth and their families 24 hours a day. | method = free 24-hour services, expertise in all youth-related issues and as an information clearinghouse of youth services. | revenue = | endowment = | num_volunteers = 150+ | num_employees = 25 | num_members = | owner = | website = [http://www.1800runaway.org/ 1800RUNAWAY.org] | dissolved = | footnotes = }} The '''National Runaway Safeline''' (also known as NRS or 1-800-RUNAWAY; formerly known as the National Runaway Switchboard) is the national communications system designated by the United States federal government for runaway and homeless youth, their parents and families, teens in crisis, and others who might benefit from its services. It is confidential, anonymous, non-judgmental, non-directive, and free. The hotline number is 1-800-RUNAWAY. Calls are answered every day of the year, 24 hours a day.<ref name="redeye2017">{{cite news|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/redeye/culture/ct-redeye-do-good-national-runaway-safeline-20170801-story.html|title=Do good this week with the National Runaway Safeline|last=Bostedt|first=Shelbie Lynn|date=August 9, 2017|work=RedEye|publisher=Chicago Tribune|accessdate=10 April 2018}}</ref><ref name="deseret2018">{{cite news|url=https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900013973/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-crisis-hotline-volunteer.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180327202451/https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900013973/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-crisis-hotline-volunteer.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 27, 2018|title=A day in the life of a crisis hotline volunteer|last=DeWitt|first=Kaylee|date=March 26, 2018|work=Deseret News|accessdate=April 10, 2018}}</ref>
The National Runaway Switchboard was started in 1974, in Chicago, IL., by the staff of Metro-Help, a 24 hour crisis phone line. Grants from the Playboy Foundation and the Federal Government, H.E.W., provide the funding. <ref>{{Cite web |title=National Runaway Switchboard {{!}} Office of Justice Programs |url=https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/national-runaway-switchboard |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=www.ojp.gov}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
== External links == * [http://www.1800runaway.org/ National Runaway Safeline]
Category:Children's charities based in the United States Category:Charities based in Illinois Category:Runaway (dependent) Category:Non-profit organizations based in Chicago
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