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Nevada Youth Empowerment Project
Newsletter
| July 2011 |
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A Letter from our Executive Director
Dear Friends of NYEP,
Summer is in full swing! School is out, our pool is up, our garden is growing, and we are so proud of our four high school graduates. Congratulations to the Class of 2011! We also had our biggest fundraiser to date on June 17th, Napa's Backyard at Grand Sierra Resort. Our silent auction raised over $3000! Thank you to everyone donated items and came out to the event. It was great to see so many of our friends in one place!
We have some fun events coming up this month! NYEP staff and residents will be baking 100 cupcakes next week and handing them out at an event at Tronix on July 8th (details below). We will also be doing a Truckee River cleanup and BBQ with the Kappa Alpha Theta Reno Alumni Chapter on July 9th! Remember, we are always looking for summer group volunteering opportunities. If you have an event coming up and need a group of volunteers, email Jeanine.nyep@gmail.com. Our residents are currently having fun volunteering individually for organizations like The Note-Ables and Girl Scouts of the Sierra Nevada.
Congratulations are in order for our Patty, one of our residents, who is attending the University of Virginia this fall and just received a full ride for her first two semesters! Her hard work in earning stellar grades and applying for scholarships has certainly paid off. An NYEP staff member will be traveling to Virginia with Patty this month to assist her through the orientation process. We are seeking donations to help cover airfare and lodging for one staff member. If you would like to help sponsor Patty's chaperone, please contact Monica at (775)240-2195.
Dirian Ramirez, NYEP's first graduate and Nevada's only FosterClub Allstar, is still in Seaside, OR getting ready to tour the nation as a speaker and teacher for foster youth all over the country. She just finished a week as a counselor at Camp To Belong, a camp that reunites siblings separated by foster care. To learn more about Dirian and her adventures as a Foster Club Allstar check out her profile. http://www.fosterclub.com/members/deeramirez
NYEP is raffling 5 Aces Baseball ticket/swag packages on our website this month. We'll be drawing every Friday in July. One lucky person has already won! Visit our website www.nvyep.org for more information on the packages and how to buy your tickets!
To get up-to-the-minute NYEP news, like us on Facebook!
Monica DuPea
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Thank You | |
We would like to thank Charles Schwab for their generous grant to support NYEP's community wide strategic plan to address the needs of transitioning youth. |
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We would like to thank our funders who have made contributions to support our program throughout the year. | |
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We would like to thank our volunteers for generously donating their time and resources. | |
Annaliese Odencrantz
Dianne Drinkwater
Chip Latham
Judge Susan Deriso
Vernon "Tiger" White |
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We would like to thank the following individuals and businesses who helped make our silent auction at Napa's Backyard a success. | |
Angela Dazey
Bill Stanley
Charla Honey
Craig Warner
Cynda New
Hillary Schieve
Jane Douglas
Jennifer Banks
Jim New
Laura Molini
Skincare by Loretta
Stephanie Short
Teasha Sbragia
Vernon "Tiger" White
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| NYEP is currently accepting applications for board members |
For more information about our Board, please click here. |
| Contact Us | |
2030 W. 6th Street
Reno, Nevada 89503
(775) 747-2073
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Announcements and Events
- Janinna graduated from Hug High School.
- Jacque graduated from Reno HIgh School
- Jazz graduated from Damonte High School
- Patty graduated from McQueen High School
- Cindy Ringer, our VISTA was awarded the VISTA of the Year Award.
- Patty will be attending the University of Virginia in August. NYEP will be chaperoning her to get her set up.
- NYEP attended the Nada Dada Art Show in downtown Reno. Over 300 artists have participated in the Nada Dada Art Show over the last 4 years. This art show was created to create an opportunity to show their work. See pictures from the event here.
Thanks!!!
NYEP would like to thank The Reno Tahoe Open Foundation and The Grand Sierra Resort for hosting Napa's Backyard. We would also like to thank our supporters who made donations and attended the event to make Napa's Backyard a successful and fun fundraiser for NYEP. See pictures from the event here.
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Engaging Youth in Permanency Planning
With a record number of residents poised to graduate NYEP's Comuunity Living Program at the end of this year, it has us thinking about permanency and what it means to youth aging out of foster care.
What does permanency mean to adolescents?
Permanency for youth is not necesarily
the living arrangement. It is not simply providing independent living services, and it is not just offering adoption. It is providing that youth with life-long permanent connections to people the youth identifies as important to him/her. When asked, "What does permanence mean to you?" youth responded:
- "It means having your side of the church full when you get married." (Youth Presenter, Iowa Permanency Forum 2005.)
- "It means having the key to the house." (Youth Participant, National Child Welfare Resource Center for Youth Development (NCWRCYD) Youth Permanency Forum 1999.)
- "It means having your picture on the wall in someone elses house." (Youth Narrator, Minnesota Adoption Exchange Video 2005.)
- "Leagal permanency is a chance for choice. It is a chance for someone to chose you and for you to chose them. Does it matter that moment of choice is recognized by the system? From my vantage point, it doesn't." (Compiled from Sanchez 2004.)
How can we talk to young people about permanency?
The Permanency Pact is a good tool to use when talking with youth about permanecy. Developed by FosterClub, the Permanency Pact provides the structure that is needed to help both youth and adults establish a positive, kin like relationship.
Having 4 solid adult relationships in a youth's life before they leave the dependancy system or when they go out on their own can be the make or break of a youth's chance of success at self sufficiency. It is crucial that older youth establish and nurture positive relationships with adults and avoid saying and doing things that will "burn a bridge" in an effort to keep good relationships intact. Transitioning youth must work hard to do this. More are on their own, overwhelmed and are unsure how to maintain a reciprocatiing relationship. |
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The Cupcake Party
When: Thur, July 7 10 p.m. - Fri, July 8 12 a.m.
Where: Tronix Reno
303 Kietzke Lane, Reno, NV 89502
This is a fundraiser for Build Our Center, Inc hosted by Meridith Tanzer. Build Our Center was established to create and sustain a center where all GLBT organizations can be represented. To unify our GLBT community by working together, brainstorming and supporting each other within it. To bridge and further acceptance and cultural diversity amongst the general Reno community. Provide grants and donations to help further educational and artistic endeavors. Leran more about Build Our Center here.
NYEP will provide cupcakes and be on hand volunteering to serve guests of the event!!! Come out and see us and help support a great cause!! |
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Reno Aces Summer Raffle
Drawings held throughout the month of July
and make a donation. For every $5.00 that you donate you will receive 1 raffle ticket that gives you 5 chances to win one of our great Reno Aces Packages. The more you donate ... the more chances you get to win!!! All donations support NYEP's Community Living Program and are tax deductable. Winners will be contacted by email on the day of the drawing and all prizes can be redeemed at NYEP. Follow us on Facebook or see our website herefor more infomation about our program, raffle dates and prize packages. |
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10 Good Reasons for Youth to Volunteer
1. Volunteering lets people know that you're a "Can Do" type of person.
2. Volunteering gives you an opportunity to make a difference for something that you care about.
3. Do you already have career plans?? Why not get some experience by volunteering??
4. Do you want to make new friends? Volunteering helps you break out of your routine environment and introduces you to other kids and adults who just might be some of your best friends for life!
5. Want to pick up a skill that isn't taught in school? Then why not hang with other kids and adults who either have that skill or are trying to acquire it ?
6. Being a kid -- for better and worse-- is about LEARNING. You're sure to learn NEW THINGS through volunteering!
7. Maybe your neighborhood or part of town isn't as well off as some others. Just maybe, by volunteering to beautify a nearby park, pick-up trash, cut weeds in a vacant lot, etc., you'll improve the quality of life in your area.
8. Just have fun: So many volunteer opportunities are just good fun, upbeat ways to spend some time.
9. Planning on going to college? Volunteer work is often considered by college admissions officers and can be a factor in helping you obtain obtain scholarships.
10. and lastly ...THE WORLD WILL BE A BETTER PLACE FOR YOUR BEING THERE!
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About Us
NYEP is a local 501 3 non-profit organization that provides residential and out patient programming and education to prepare willing older youth for independent self-sufficient living. |
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