Throughout the year, our newsletters are filled with stories of young people who have "made it" against the odds -- of youth who are the first in their family to attend college, who are working hard to be a nurturing parent when they are still a teen themselves, who are successful in high school even though they are homeless and without the support of a parent. But situations like this take a toll on young people.  February is National Self-Esteem Month.  Much has been written about how important self-esteem is for all of us but especially for children and youth.  The young people in our programs are no exception but for many of them self-esteem is in short supply.  Homelessness, poverty and the challenges of adolescence take a toll on self-esteem.  Often, the very people who should be cheering them on are telling them they can't achieve their dreams.  At Alternative House, we help young people build on their strengths and increase their self-esteem.  There are many ways you can help.  Volunteers and mentors are role models and let young people know that others value them as an individual.  Community members who share their talents with youth do the same thing.  I hope that you will mark National Self-Esteem Month by giving encouragement to young people that you know.  

Angela Davis has been with Alternative House for almost 5 years and began as the Program Director of the Emergency Shelter for Teenagers, but when the opportunity arose for her to work as the Program Director of the Assisting Young Mothers (AYM) program, she jumped at the opportunity to challenge herself with a new age group. 

 

Angela received her degree with a focus in social work from James Madison University and came to our program excited and encouraged that the organization worked with teens and young adults. She is continually inspired by our mission and says, "We are large enough to administer a good quality of service to the community, but small enough to focus on the individuals that we are serving." 

 

Phillip Jaffa has been a volunteer with Alternative House for over 14 years. When his children began to grow into young adults themselves and "leave the nest", he wanted to continue to stay connected with children and find a way he could help his community. With research, he found Alternative House and began volunteering in the Emergency Shelter for Teenagers.  

 

Phillip has been working a couple of hours a week at Alternative House for the last 14 years and has done a variety of jobs for the organization, from listening and working with our teen shelter residents, to cooking dinner, to providing items the shelter needs. When asked what the most rewarding experience is volunteering at the Alternative House, Phillip responded, "There have been some really remarkable experiences working here." In over a decade, he has seen and heard many stories, and has been a shoulder to lean on for many of our residents. We are very lucky to have Phillip and other volunteers who have been with us for so long and who have watched our organization grow.

 

When commenting about working with children and how he encourages them to talk about their problems, he has a fantastic  message, "We peel a lot of potatoes. It is easier for kids to tell you something when they do not have to look you in the eye." 

 

Outside of Alternative House, Phillip works in Sales and Marketing with an engineering focus and enjoys spending time with his family. 

The Family Resource Centers are neighborhood-based drop-in centers offering a safe, relaxed setting for family-oriented, on-site programs, resources, activities and classes to strengthen families in their communities.

Currently, Family Resource Centers serve families in the Culmore and Springfield/Franconia communities. With a focus on self-sufficiency, leadership, parenting and family support, the centers are a collaborative effort among community-based organizations, the private sector, and county agencies to bring services, information and resources to community members. 

March 11th

April 8th