A new Web site will be a valuable resource for Douglas County residents interested in helping children grow up healthy and happy.

If you ever have wanted to get involved with young people in Douglas County and didn’t know where to start, a Web site being launched today is for you.

In a ceremony at Lawrence Memorial Hospital, Lawrence Douglas County Promise will celebrate the launch of the “Promise Station” Web site, which offers a comprehensive list of community resources for children. It lists agencies that are involved with children and offers information about the services they provide.

Those who want to take a more active step need only scroll down the left side of the page to “Go to Get Involved.” There, agencies and groups list what individuals can do to help, what donations are needed and where volunteers are being sought. Some are small commitments of money or goods; others are larger investments of time or money, but there is something there for about anyone who wants to help.

The local “Promise” group, let by the Partnership for Children and Youth, is affiliated with the nationwide “America’s Promise” movement. The goal of the group is to fulfill five basic promises to America’s young people. These are things young people need in their lives in order to thrive. The five are caring adults, safe places, a healthy start and future, marketable skills and opportunities for youth to serve.

The strategy for keeping the promises is to mobilize parents, teachers, youth groups, faith communities, schools, businesses and other groups in a united effort for youth. One of the beauties of the Promise Station Web site is that it should provide coordination for the many local groups involved with children and youth.

There is a wealth of resources in our community for children and youth, but too often, people don’t really know what different agencies in the community are doing and how they might help. And the agencies themselves may not always know what other agencies are doing and how they might complement one another.

Groups that sign on as “Promise Partners” will maintain and update the information on the Web site to make sure it is current. People who need help can use the web site as a reference while individuals or groups who are able to help can find ways to direct their talents and donations.

More than 600 communities across the country have made the commitment to be “Communities of Promise.” Lawrence-Douglas County is one of only 31 of those communities that has a Promise Station Web site. This commitment to the young people of our area should come as no surprise to people who know Lawrence and Douglas County and the high priority its residents place on children and education.

The symbol of America’s Promise is a little red wagon that is used to illustrate the need to “pull your weight” in the effort to raise a community full of healthy children who will become involved, contributing adults. A stop at the new Promise Station should give adults in Douglas County some sound ideas on how to do their part.