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Greetings!
At Youth Homes we know how important it is to have healthy and supportive family relationships. Through our Family Finding Program we have incorporated family tracing techniques in an effort to identify, contact and engage lost or distant family members in the lives of our youth where it is appropriate. Preparation and planning involves meetings with the parents, prospective family members as well as those important to the child to plan for a stable supportive future. Recently, Youth Homes was able to find the older sister of one of our residents which then led her to an additional male sibling. 
Quote from older sister Mia - "This experience of meeting my brother and sister has been a huge fantasy for years. I can't put into words how much this means to me. It's been by far the best birthday and Christmas present ever.
Thank you for initially contacting me and for being so prompt in responding to my phone calls and emails. The communication on your end was instrumental in making this process happen so smoothly. What's next? I get to be a big sister now!" |
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Mentors Share Life Lessons
Last August, the residents of Cherry Lane had the opportunity to go camping at June Lake in Yosemite National Park. Five of our residents and one client from the Youth Homes' Aftercare Program went camping for the first time in their lives!
Youth Homes staff Marcelle Van Buren, Dominick Fittipaldi, and Eva Haile were excited to be assigned to the trip; however, they soon discovered that camping with long time mentors Lynn and Howard is more about packing as many activities into a few days than it is about lounging around a campsite. Some of the activities the kids were able to enjoy included paddle boating on June Lake, horse back riding, kayaking on Mono Lake, riding chair lifts to ski areas, riding in a pontoon boat on June Lake, and swimming.
It goes without saying that all were pleasantly exhausted by the end of the trip. The youth all expressed surprise that they enjoyed the trip so much and would like to go camping again in the future.
Youth Homes would like to extend a very special thanks to mentors Lynn MacMichael and Howard Weimer for making this trip possible.
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Holiday Giving
This past year, Youth Homes was humbled and amazed at the incredible out-pouring of giving during the holiday season. As valuable supporters of Youth Homes, we knew you would want to know about the abundance showered upon our foster youth. |
Merrill Lynch of Walnut Creek generously donated 30 brand new bikes in all different sizes and colors including helmets. The bikes were assembled as a corporate effort including the families of staff members at their annual holiday party.
Burr Pilger Mayer of Walnut Creek provided abundant gifts for 10 Aftercare youth for the second year in a row!
James Wogan & the faculty at Mt. Diablo School District contributed gift cards to the kid's within our residential facilities.
Operation Secret Elves surprised us this year with over 20 stockings stuffed full of goodies each containing gift cards!
The Youth Homes Auxiliary can be counted on each and every year to generously provide for all of our foster youth.
Hanna Global Solutions of Walnut Creek adopted East Bay Shelter providing a full turkey and ham dinner with all the trimmings for 15 as well as other generous holiday gifts. In addition, they provided 10 much needed new dining room chairs.
Alamo Women's Club members gathered together and hand knit hats and made fringed blankets for our foster youth. In addition to this, several families in the Alamo neighborhood of Las Quebradas gathered for their annual neighborhood holiday party and instead of exchanging gifts donated gift cards to our foster youth. Elaine Smit and family as well as other neighboring families in the community of Fernwood Drive of Moraga contributed many thoughtful gifts this holiday season.
Attorneys within the Contra Costa County Bar Association Juvenile Law Section donated 24 gift cards!
Thank you to ALL those mentioned and not mentioned who gave this holiday season. Small or large, your gifts make a difference in the lives of the foster youth we serve!
Pictured left: Merrill Lynch associates Noo Harmon and Claudia Thompson with Youth Homes staff member Philippe Bureau. |
