News from Gateway

I've been asked to remind you that we are just 5 weeks away from your fund raising event...Off the Wall. We still need to sell 200 tickets and pull in several more corporate sponsorships in order to meet our goals; so please call/write/e-mail your friends, family, colleagues, vendors, etc., to invite them to attend a great party while they help a great cause. And don't forget...they'll take home a photo or bottle of "liquid art" as our thanks for attending!

Community Connections - PROUD

Community Connections facilitates the Positive Reinforcement of Uplifting Development (PROUD) after-school program to at-risk youth in the Brighton community. The program provides a free after-school and a six week summer program to low income middle school age youth. Oak Grove Baptist church has graciously allowed us to utilize their facility for the after-school and summer program.

During the school year the group meets on Mondays and Thursdays from 3-5pm and during the six week summer camp on Mondays through Thursdays from 11-3:30pm.

PROUD consists of groups providing drug prevention information, life skills training, current events, cooking classes, and arts and crafts. We also provide team building and recreational activities. The program is provided free of charge to all youth and targets youth that do not have other positively structured activities to attend.

Vanessa Huggins - Program Coordinator - 510-2777

Community Connections

Success Story

Jasmine is a 13 year old female who lives with her mother and siblings. Jasmine has a sister who has an infant also residing in the household. The client's mother is a single parent who struggles financially. The family has had to relocate five times within the school year. As a result, she has had frequent absences from school which contributed to her grades declining. In school she had low self-esteem, was withdrawn, was teased by peers about her looks, clothing and general appearance. Her mother enrolled her in Gateway's Positive Reinforcement of Uplifting Development (PROUD) Program which provides free drug prevention after-school and summer programs to middle school age youth.

Jasmine began attending the PROUD Program and it was not long before staff noticed positive changes in her actions and overall personality. She bonded with participants in the group, seemed happy about attending the PROUD program (walked a distance from home to attend) and in addition, became a group leader. Her self-esteem improved significantly and she began to take on a leadership role and was assisting other students who were in need of uplifting or positive feedback/advice.

Jasmine's mom stated that she has seen firsthand the changes in her daughter from last year to now. Mom stated that she wishes that they could give something back to the PROUD program and that she is grateful. Jasmine actually looked forward to school resuming after summer break so she could return to the PROUD after-school program!

- Eula Gaines, Community Connections Prevention Specialist

Gateway Board - Five Point Plan

At the November Board meeting, you approved the Marketing & Development Committee's plan for Board participation...the Five Point Plan. In that plan, Board members are required to earn five points...one for making a personal donation to the agency (not linked to a specific fund raising activity) and one for selling at least five tickets (or the equivalent in goods/services) to Off the Wall. The remaining three points may be earned in a variety of ways (see golf below.) Contact Kathleen for a copy of the complete plan.