Stepping Up for Youth this Back-to-School Season

We all know back-to-school season can be a stressful time, even for youth with healthy home lives. Add in trauma, limited family support, and a range of other challenges, and it becomes even more difficult. While we work year-round to support our youth through these struggles, our community also steps up to ease their transition back to school with new shoes, backpacks, and supplies. 

Another successful back-to-school shoe drive continues to highlight how much you all believe in the young people we serve. When a client receives a new pair of shoes they chose, it gives them the chance to express themselves and feel confident as they return to school. Thank you to the donors who quickly purchased the first few pairs of shoes after the wishlist was shared! 

Only a few days after sharing our shoe wishlist, one extremely generous donor decided to fulfill the rest. Around 80 pairs of shoes later, our clients are thrilled - as always - with their new kicks; some have shared that these shoes are the nicest thing they’ve ever owned, while others tell us how prepared their new shoes made them feel to go back to school or start a new job.

All this success was celebrated during our recent event, Step It Up for Youth, at Youth Homes Thrift Shop. Thank you to Jenna Lampson of Pacific Service Credit Union who spoke about her ongoing support of Youth Homes, and our team members, Nicole Stigamire and Kaitlyn Sandel, who shared how your support during this time (and all year round) deeply impacts our clients.

With new shoes checked off the list, it was time to get our youth prepared with backpacks and school supplies. We are so thankful that St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Walnut Creek donated a huge haul of brand new items for clients to choose from. Our community-based services team hosted their annual back-to-school social event where youth were able to hang out together, enjoy lunch with their families and providers, and stuff their new backpacks with everything they need for the first day of class. 

We’re incredibly grateful for our community’s dedication to making sure our clients have a successful school year and bright futures. Stay tuned for more updates on their growth and healing journey!