Your donations provide Safety, Shelter, and Support to over 1,100 kids in our community.  Kids like Albert, who need a place to go and someone to listen when their world is falling apart. 

Late one evening, Albert’s father had been out drinking when he decided to visit his family. Albert’s parents had been fighting a lot lately, just adding to the stress that the family had to endure. Both of his parents had spent time in prison. Albert and his three younger siblings were still adjusting to having their mom and dad back in their lives. Tonight, his father was in a rage. He yelled at their mother and threw a hammer at their television. As his father fled the scene, Albert, just 14 years old, chased him down the street. He couldn’t stand how his father was treating his mother. Angry and heartbroken, Albert called his mentor.

Albert had joined the Y-NOW Children of Prisoners Mentoring Program just a couple months earlier. Instead of running away or falling into a depression, Albert knew he could call on his mentor, Daniel, for help. Daniel came to Albert’s home and they drove to a nearby park. Daniel sat with Albert on a park bench and helped him process what had just happened and understand that it wasn’t his fault.

Thanks to donors like YOU, Albert had the support of his mentor and the Y-NOW Program to get him through a moment of crisis that could have turned into a tragedy. Albert even lead a workshop on anger management to help his peers learn how to process and communicate their emotions rather than lashing out. Albert graduated from the Y-NOW program this year and he now serves as a youth leader in the program.

You can give kids and families the tools they need to not only survive but, thrive.  Thank you for your commitment to our kids now and throughout the year.