StandUp For Kids  ⬤  Since 1990  ⬤  18 Cities  ⬤  Ending The Cycle of Youth Homelessness

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October 2018 National Newsletter

The outreach center of StandUp For Kids—Washington, DC serves an average of 50 clients every Monday night. Volunteers serve dinner and host activities like movies, games, HIV testing, art therapy, spoken word workshops, and other special events. They recently held a special end-of-summer event to get folks to come in and take the D.C. Homeless Youth Census, which included a BBQ and karaoke as shown the in picture above.

In addition to developing trust and providing warmth and safety, a primary goal of the center is to get young people connected with the agencies and services they need to move out of homelessness – primarily housing, education, and other supports. Since this drop-in center opened in August 2016, more than 50 young people have been placed into housing programs. They collaborate with partners in the human services sector in DC to accomplish this. The partners in the drop-in center are Sasha Bruce Youthwork and First Congregational United Church of Christ. On Mondays, there are usually 6-8 StandUp For Kids volunteers, a few Sasha Bruce Youthwork staff members, and 3-4 volunteers from the church. The church also donates the space they meet in.

We are so thankful for the support our partners show to each of our programs around the country. Does your organization want to get involved with your local program? Learn how you can get involved today!

At our National Conference in Atlanta last month, we announced nine recipients of our annual awards. Congratulations to all of our winners and to the rest of our hardworking volunteers and employees! You can learn more about the different awards and meet the winners on our blog:

· Guardians of the Year – Rob Lindo of Silicon Valley; Kim Severini of Orange County.

· Rookies of the Year – Carlia Oldfather of Orange County; Adrian Ramirez of San Antonio; and Kristin Taylor of Silicon Valley.

· Programs of the Year – Atlanta; Hampton Roads; Olympia-Thurston County.

· Lifetime Achievement – Brian Haslip, formerly homeless youth and long-time member of our family. 

The Tuesday following Thanksgiving is #GivingTuesday, a global day of giving to kick off the charitable season. As you start your holiday shopping, consider joining the movement to support those in need in your community. Here are three ways you can make a difference on Giving Tuesday:

1. Make a “social” impact – Encourage your friends, family, and followers to donate to StandUp For Kids on #GivingTuesday by sharing information across all your social networks.

2. Use teamwork – Start a collection at work to raise money for the cause.

3. Donate – Of course the easiest way you can make a difference is making your donation on Giving Tuesday.

This time of year is really important to us as we plan our programs for 2019, and we hope that you’ll keep us in mind as you make your mark on Giving Tuesday. Make a secure online donation to StandUp For Kids and help us conquer youth homelessness.

We have so many great things going on that wouldn't be possible without our donors and volunteers. There are lots of ways you can get more involved, such as volunteering as a mentor, asking your company to sponsor, donating items, or supporting us financially. To learn more, visit our website or contact us.