Unity Care's Community Partner Newsletter

NEWS from Unity Care Group

Community Partners Newsletter
November 23, 2009

Welcome from André Chapman

Dear Friends,

These stressful economic times has made us numb to the tragedy that is happening right in our backyard. Many of us do not realize that there are hundreds of foster youth struggling to survive and homeless on our streets. Too often our young adults become casualties from a failing foster care system. Carl Wiseman, a vibrant male who was a former foster youth in our residential program, passed away recently at the young age of 24 lonely and homeless. Read the article I wrote in the Mercury News paper about Carl.

Did you know that November is National Homeless Youth Awareness Month? This month is extremely important not only because Unity Care provides housing and supportive services to hundreds of homeless foster youth in the San Francisco Bay Area, but because it is a reminder that youth in our community desperately need your help.

The fact is, there is more than 100,000 homeless teenagers throughout the nation and California has about 20% or 20,000 kids emancipating from the system at age 18. Statistics show that we are producing one of the fastest growing homeless population-former foster youth. According to Annie E. Casey Foundation's survey of former foster care youth:

46% foster youth did not complete high school

58% of youth in shelters were formerly foster youth

34% of former foster youth spent at least one night homeless or lived in more than four places in a year

24% said they had sold drugs to support themselves

41% spent time in jail

42% became parents within 2.5 to 4 years of exiting the system

Although these statistics are a reality for many youth, there are those who do become successful and productive young adults. When foster youth are provided with emotional, mental and physical well-being they can overcome life's challenges. So I am asking you to keep our most vulnerable youth in your hearts and prayers this Holiday Season. Support young people like Carl, by making a contribution through our Santa's Helper Donation Drive today.

Best wishes,

André Chapman

André Chapman
President and CEO

What's Happening at Unity Care

Santa's Helper Donation Drive
New Program Alert - "The Nia Project"
Unity Care's Annual Report 2007-08
5th Annual Hip Hop Holiday Extravaganza

Santa's Helper Donation Drive

As the Holiday Season approaches, many of Unity Care’s youth who are separated from their families are often left with a feeling of sadness and abandonment.

Unity Care aims to brighten their Holiday Season through our Santa’s Helper Donation Drive. Unfortunately, therapeutic service program funds do not provide for special event funds such as this; therefore, we ask you to help bring a little warmth and happiness to a young person's Holiday Season by making a child’s wish come true.

Currently, Unity Care has numerous programs serving over 250 current/former foster youth and families that are in need.

Four Simple Ways You can Help:

Make a Cash Contribution
Donate a gift card to participating retailers
Give NEW household and clothing items, such as warm blankets, bed sheets, towels, coats, sweaters, etc.
Volunteer - Collect holiday gifts from your friends or church.

Please make a gift today. If you would like to learn more about how you can help, please contact Linda Vu, Communications and Development Specialist at (408) 510-3480 or email at lvu@unitycare.org

5th Annual Hip Hop 360 Holiday Extravaganza

Move over America's Best Dance Crew and make way for our fiercest breakdancers! They may be tiny, but size doesn't matter because these titans can definitely dance!

Over sixty Hip Hop 360 students from San Jose's Montgomery Elementary Middle School will proudly show off their ultra slick breakdancing skills at the 5th annual Holiday Extravaganza Thursday, December 17, 2009.

For the past few months, Hip Hop 360 dance instructors have been busy coaching, instilling positive teamwork, and guidance to middle school youth.

The highly anticipated event will be performed for over two hundred family, friends, teachers, and community members.

We thank our community sponsors for making this event possible. Hip Hop 360's after school program is made possible through financial support from the The City of San Jose's H.N.V.F. (Health Neighborhood Venture Fund) and the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health.

Hip Hop 360 Holiday Extravaganza

Montgomery Elementary Middle School

Thursday, December 17, 2009

6:00 p.m.

RSVP by Monday, December 14, 2009

Email Linda Vu at lvu@unitycare.org

Special Thanks to our Partners

Air Systems Foundation, Inc.