Home Free Fact Sheet
Hotline: 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) || Live Chat/Email/Forums: 1800RUNAWAY.org || Business Oce: 773-880-9860
Established in 1995 through a partnership between the National Runaway Safeline (NRS) and Greyhound Lines, Inc., the
Home Free program reunites runaway, homeless and exploited youth with their family or guardian through a free bus ticket
home or to a stable place where they can access appropriate services.
In 2019, 291 youth received bus tickets through Home Free, including 16 who identified labor or sex tracking as a factor
contributing to their need for transportation assistance. In 2020, amidst the pandemic, 299 youth used the Home Free
program to return home or to another safe location.
Runaway and homeless youth service providers; community and faith-based organizations; law enforcement; anti-
tracking organizations; child welfare, health, and education professionals; along with other concerned adults who come
into contact with potentially eligible youth are encouraged to review the Home Free information.
Eligibility and Restrictions
Youth must be between the ages of 12 and 21 and self-identify as homeless, runaway or a victim of human tracking. Youth
must agree to complete the necessary steps to obtain a ticket through the Home Free program. On occasion, parents,
guardians or another adult family member designated by the parent or guardian may also receive a round-trip ticket to
travel to the youth’s location, so they can accompany the youth home.
• Youth under age 18 can only return to a parent or legal guardian, which may include a non-custodial parent, sibling age
21 or older, or an extended family member, such as aunt or uncle.
• For youth ages 18 to 21, options include returning home or traveling to an approved alternative living arrangement
(ALA), such as confirmed residential services housing, including a transitional or independent living program willing to
accept them. Youth who were formerly in the child welfare system have the option to travel to a prior adult caregiver.
• Tickets must be used the day they are booked and are non-transferable.
• Participants must agree to participate in a follow-up phone call to verify the youth’s arrival and to review the utilization
of local resources agreed upon during the Home Free ticketing process.
Application Process
• Youth must initiate the process by calling NRS’ hotline at 1-800-786-2929 and speaking privately with NRS sta about
their situation. Youth will also be screened for signs of human tracking, including force, fraud, and coercion.
• At the request of a youth, NRS can help them identify and access a local safe place, such as a police station, runaway
and homeless youth service provider, shelter, other local youth service provider, or a hospital emergency room. Once
they are in a safe place, the Home Free application process can begin.
• Guardian escort tickets can be oered as needed for youth 12 to 16 who use the program.
• Child tickets can be oered for parenting youth traveling with their children who are over the age of 2 or any child
traveling with a car seat
• With the youth’s permission, NRS sta can communicate with any adults and/or professionals directly involved. When
youth will be traveling to an ALA, conference calls with the youth and adults involved in the identified ALA are required
to confirm that everyone agrees with the proposed living arrangement, and to confirm that safe and stable housing
and any critical support services, such as individual and/or family counseling services, are available.
• In order to ensure the safety of the youth, NRS may request/require documentation, such as I.D.s or birth certificates,
to verify the identities of all parties involved in the Home Free process, including from parents/guardians, service
providers, siblings or other parties whom the youth may be living with.
• For youth under 18, NRS may ask if a runaway report was filed. If filed, NRS may request to verify it as an option in lieu
of other forms of I.D.
• To ensure participants have the necessary support to continue to address the individual and family issues that led
to the youth leaving home or becoming a tracking victim, NRS requires participants to continue to use supportive
services they are currently accessing or resources identified by NRS for follow-up support in their new location.
