Season of Gratitude
The Youth Homes team is celebrating gratitude this month and we sure have a lot to be thankful for this year. Instead of focusing on the many transitions the past year has seen, we’re celebrating our youth, their health, and happiness, and all those who’ve helped make this possible.
In case you missed what we’ve been up to lately, here are a few of our favorite moments and some to come soon!
Friday Fundrays with our youth have been extremely well received! Staff and clients from our transitional youth program had the opportunity to participate in a yoga class in late October. We are grateful to our volunteer and gracious yoga instructor Michelle Storm, to The Ellen's Guild for purchasing lunch and providing Halloween candy, and to our clients for stepping out of their comfort zone and trying something new. It was a wonderful afternoon of sunshine, yoga, and fresh air - and pizza!
With our Youth Homes community, help comes in all shapes and sizes! There was a monumental list of preparations to get ready for the Cherry Lane renovation and members of our community stepped up in BIG ways! Thank you to Junk-it-Move-it, who collected old furniture and mattresses from Cherry Lane free of charge a couple of weeks ago. The makeover wouldn’t happen without people and businesses like yours!
The amazing transformation of East Bay Shelter from grimy and worn to fresh and bright feels like MAGIC happened this past weekend!
But it wasn’t magic at all, it was the combined effort of 61 volunteers, who worked for a cumulative total of 230 hours so the youth who live there have a bright and clean home to live in. When they see this space today, it sends a strong message that our community cares about them and that they deserve better than they have known.
This beautiful renovation was made possible by 7:00 am early shift workers, cleanup crew, our handy person team (who fixed toilets, patched walls and doors), and everyone in between. The entire house was finished, including the sponged kitchen cabinets and the front door!
An extra big thank you to Adrienne Feyock, her family, and the team at Danville Dentistry who partnered with Youth Homes to sponsor the event and provide supplies, refreshments, and so many volunteers. The weekend was a testament to what hardworking, kind and caring people can accomplish together!
The painting at East Bay is part of a broader initiative at Youth Homes called Welcome Home. Over the years, maintenance on our four homes has been deferred, resulting in an urgent list of repairs that includes new roofs, drainage solutions, floor replacement, and electrical updates.
AND that’s not the end of East Bay Shelter’s remodel! December 18th marks a furniture makeover in partnership with Grateful Gatherings. Grateful Gatherings will supply 6 NEW beds with box springs and mattresses for the home! This holiday season we will make East Bay Shelter brighter and happier. It takes a village to raise a child, and we are so grateful that you are part of our community.
THANK YOU to all our incredible community partners!