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Still finishing your holiday shopping? Here is an easy way to buy the gifts you need and support Alternatives For Girls, at the same time! If you are an Amazon customer, by shopping at smile.amazon.com and designating Alternatives For Girls as your nonprofit of choice, Amazon will donate 0.5% of the purchase price to AFG, for every eligible purchase you make!
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Alternatives For Girls
E-Newsletter
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Greetings!
"I have achieved many things and conquered many challenges with the help of Alternatives For Girls," De'Anna shares. As a member of AFG's Peer Education program, a youth leadership program that trains at-risk youth to reach out to other at-risk youth in the community, De'Anna leads workshops on topics such as making positive choices, healthy relationships, and much more.
Through the leadership skills she learned at AFG, De'Anna found her voice, "Before I became a Peer Educator, I really didn't know how to use my voice or when to use it. I never knew youth had a say in the world or could impact change in their community. After joining the program, I soon found out that I had more than a voice. I found that I could help bring about change in my community with one little step. AFG has taught me to be the best leader I can be."
While facing a very serious issue in her personal life, De'Anna says that AFG helped her find herself again, "I lost everything I thought I knew about myself, from the things I liked to do to the morals I had set for myself. Alternatives For Girls helped me look at the situation not as a weakness, but something that would only make me stronger with time."
Now that De'Anna has gotten back on her feet, she is in the top 10% of her class and plans to attend either Michigan State or the University of Florida to study Zoology. "It's almost like AFG is the sun in my sky, and knows just when to shine when I have my darkest moments," De'Anna smiles. "I am very grateful for the things AFG has taught me and given to me, such as the development of my character."
Because of your support, young women like De'Anna are avoiding risky behaviors, completing their education, and becoming leaders in their community. Click here to help change the ending for at-risk girls and women today! Read on to hear about the major impact Project Giving Tree had on our participants, a fun new knitting workshop led by volunteers, and the 27th annual Holiday High Tea.
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Project Giving Tree Brings Joy to Hundreds of Girls and Young Women
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December has been a month of celebration, thanks to our holiday giving program, Project Giving Tree (PGT). Each year, as a part of PGT, girls and young women in AFG's programs complete a wish list of items they are in need of. The wish lists include items such as
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| Two girls enjoy festive arts and crafts during the AFG Prevention holiday party.
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clothing, winter boots, coats, scarves, and gloves, as well as fun items such as books and board games. The wish lists are "adopted" by businesses, organizations, local churches, and individual supporters. This year, our generous PGT donors fulfilled over 350 wish lists, as well as additional items for dozens of families!
"Project Giving Tree is so important because it ensures a cheerful holiday season for our participants, especially for those who may not be able to celebrate the holidays with their family," Jenny Clement, AFG Volunteer Services and Project Giving Tree Manager explains. "Project Giving Tree was a huge success this year thanks to the support of AFG's donors and volunteers. Not only do AFG supporters donate gifts but they also donate their time at our holiday parties, assisting staff and ensuring all aspects of each party run smoothly. Project Giving Tree is more than giving gifts to our participants. The program shows participants that there are a lot of people who care about them."
The gifts collected during PGT are given to the girls at each program's holiday party throughout the month of December. Each party was filled with wonderful food, games, arts & crafts, and plenty of smiles as each girl and young woman opened her gift.
AFG would like to thank each person who participated in Project Giving Tree this year, as well as the wonderful volunteers and sponsors who made all of our holiday parties possible!
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Volunteer Led Knitting Group Teaches Girls the Art of Knitting
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| The knitting group shows off the chair cover they made for AFG's foyer!
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This month in our Prevention Department's after-school program, the highschool group has been participating in a fun knitting workshop with a group of dedicated AFG volunteers! In the workshop, the young women have learned basic stitches and techniques, knit wool rectangles to create a colorful covering for a chair in AFG's foyer, and "arm knit" their own infinity scarves. Thank you to the volunteers for your time, inspiration, and donation of yarn and handmade knitting needles that made the workshop possible!
Are you a knitter with a stash of yarn you would like to donate? Contact Alexandria Armstrong at 313-361-4000 x223 and it will be put to good use in our knitting workshop!
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27th Annual Holiday High Tea
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On December 4th, over 100 supporters gathered at the Townsend Hotel in Birmingham for Shirley Maddalena's 27th Annual Holiday High Tea. The event has supported AFG for
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| Holiday High Tea host, Shirley Maddalena (center), with Carol Lemieux and Sherry McLaughlin. Photo courtesy of Hour Detroit.
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many years, and this year's event raised more than $14,000 for our programs! Guests of the event enjoyed an afternoon tea complete with finger sandwiches, scones, and delicious pastries while taking in beautiful holiday decor at the Townsend. The event also featured a fabulous silent auction of new and old treasures brought by guests. Some items included: Tea for Four at the Townsend Hotel, a beautiful decorated cake from the Townsend Bakery, floral arrangements, jewelry, and much more!
Alternatives For Girls would like to thank Shirley Maddalena, the Tea attendees, auction donors, and volunteers for their help in making the event a success. To see pictures from this year's tea, click here!
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Happy Holidays!
Sincerely,
Amanda (Amy) L. Good
CEO
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