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In This Issue:
Youth Program Updates
Inside the JJC
Volunteer Spotlight
Board of Directors
Development Advisory Board
In Case You Missed It |
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"Small acts go a long way with kids who have limited resources."
- Aida Buzancic CYN College Intern |
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| Dear Friends of City Youth Now,
Yesterday, people across America gathered together for Thanksgiving to count their blessings and give thanks for families, friends, and loved ones. We, too, want to take this opportunity to let you know how deeply appreciated you are by all of us here at City Youth Now (CYN). Without supporters like you, young people in our city who are working hard to make a successful life for themselves would not have nearly as many resources, scholarships, or job opportunities as they do today.
All of us here at CYN have been busy as ever. We are happy to announce that Jeff Schertz has joined the Board and will sit on the Corporate Funding Committee. He will also work with CYN staff to find ways to engage our Board more directly with the youth we serve. Our Development Advisory Board has broadened the range of their fundraising activities by developing relationships with private high schools for in-kind donations as well as successfully organizing an event last week at Soda Popinski’s.
Our staff has implemented many new improvements to our youth programs, specifically in the area of education. After taking probation youth on college tours in the City, the staff decided to extend their relationship with admissions representatives by inviting them to speak with the youth at the Juvenile Justice Center. We hope these activities will be inspirational for those we serve and give them the courage to dream big.
CYN will be hosting our annual Open Board Meeting on January 30th and we’d love for you to attend. This is a great opportunity for you to meet members of our Board, staff, and Development Advisory Board. We value your insights and would love to hear from you. Maybe you’ll find yourself interested in a board position or joining a committee—we welcome everyone.
While the calendar year is coming to a close, we want you to know there are still myriad opportunities to get engaged with CYN whether with your checkbook or your time (or both!). In this newsletter, you will find our wish list for gifts and volunteering opportunities.
With warmest wishes for a happy holiday season from our family to yours,
Didier Perez
Board President
City Youth Now |
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Youth Partnering for Education and Employment (YPEE) Program |
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| Youth Interns
As the summer internships come to a close, we are assisting our youth interns through the job application process with our one-on-one resume and interview workshops. Youth have applied to over 25 jobs and programs this fall! In the past month, four youth have successfully acquired employment. They are truly reaping the fruits of their hard work!
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| School Supply Donations
A big shout out to Lick-Wilmerding High School (LWHS) in San Francisco for donating six boxes filled with school supplies last month! These donations will help replenish our supplies after one of our busiest back-to-school seasons yet. Special thanks to the LWHS Center for Civic Engagement and science teacher, Anton Krukowski, for organizing the drive. Anton previously volunteered with City Youth Now as a tutor inside of the Juvenile Justice Center!
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| Fun fact: Our Treasurer and Program Manager are both LWHS alumni! |
| | | Is your workplace interested in hosting a youth intern? Email us at info@cityyouthnow.org |
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Personal Empowerment Program |
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| Holiday Gift Wish List
While you're doing your holiday shopping, consider picking out gifts for our youth. You can drop them off or ship them to: 375 Woodside Ave., San Francisco, CA 94127 |
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| | Donate a portion of your Amazon purchases to City Youth Now:
2. Click on "Your Account" 3. Select "Change your Charity" 4. Type "City Youth Now" 5. Shop! |
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Inside the Juvenile Justice Center |
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Michael Rosen
Lawyer-turned-musician Michael Rosen introduced old school blues to the youth at the Juvenile Justice Center earlier this fall. Research shows that listening to music can lower blood pressure, improve sleep quality, and help people manage stress. Many of the youth at the JJC have a history of trauma and are dealing with stress and uncertainty. This is precisely why CYN is committed to our partnership with Bread and Roses in order to bring music -and hopefully some healing and relaxation - to justice-involved youth.
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| College Day This past Monday, we partnered with City College of San Francisco and Skyline College to host our first-ever College Day inside the Juvenile Justice Center to help justice-involved youth get informed and excited about their higher education options. Representatives from both colleges presented to Units 5, 6, and 7 about admissions, financial aid, student life, and the opportunity for growth that comes with college. Youth inquired about various fields of study, including social work, finance, and coding and expressed an interest in hearing from more colleges, especially HBCUs. When asked how many students are planning on attending college, 90% of hands shot up in the air. We look forward to hosting more colleges in the Spring to help our youth find their path to college.
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| | | | Meet our dedicated college interns! |
| | Kalina King
Major: Criminal Justice
San Francisco State University '19
What tasks have you helped with at CYN?
I have helped City Youth Now with inputting donor information in Salesforce, looking for new internships for youth, helping with the corner store, researching for potential partnerships, recruiting more volunteers, and providing backpacks and school supplies to students from the supply closet.
What is your most memorable moment at CYN? My most memorable moment at City Youth Now is when one of CYN's Board Members, Toni, came and spoke to us about her daily life as a probation officer.
Tell me about your first job. What kind of an impact did it make on you?
My first job was at Kids Footlocker at the age of 18. This job taught me how to be responsible and how to become an independent person.
Why have you chosen a career path with youth? I have chosen a career path with youth because I believe that change starts with kids.
What is on your bucket list?
I haven't made a bucket list but if I did have one, the first thing I would want to do is skydive.
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| | Angelica Flores
Major: Child and Adolescent Behavior Minor: Spanish San Francisco State University '18
What tasks have you helped with at CYN?
I’ve been able to help create the emotional literacy workshop that will encourage youth to find effective strategies to help deal with their emotions and succeed in the workplace. Also, I’ve been tutoring a youth in the hall.
What is your most memorable moment at CYN?
While tutoring, I’ve been enjoying the “aha!” moments when the youth is able to understand the material and see how it is relevant to his life.
Tell me about your first job. What kind of an impact did it make on you?
My very first job was working as a cashier at a local burger shop. It was not my favorite job, but it taught me a lot about working in a fast-paced environment, teamwork, and patience.
Why have you chosen a career path with youth?
I strongly believe that every child deserves an opportunity to achieve their full potential. With the right resources and consistent support, they will be able to find their strengths and succeed in their passion. I aim to be an advocate for youth and help them achieve their goals.
What is on your bucket list?
In the future, I hope to visit every Latin American country at least once. Peru and Colombia are at the top of my list! |
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| | | Join us in welcoming Jeff Schertz to City Youth Now's Board of Directors! |
| Jeff Schertz is a technology sales executive, specializing in the fast-paced tech startup world of San Francisco. Jeff has over 25 years of experience working with disabled children and at-risk youth via organizations such as Special Olympics and Big Brothers/Big Sisters in Chicago, Los Angeles, and the Bay Area. He has also been instrumental in setting up & coordinating charitable contribution programs at several of the tech companies he has worked at. Originally from Iowa, Jeff has a degree in business management from Wartburg College, where he also played football, basketball, & baseball. After living in the Sunset District of San Francisco for several years, he now resides in Mill Valley. An avid outdoor recreation enthusiast, in his free time Jeff leads several surfing and mountain biking camps & tours of Marin helping other people find enjoyment in the outdoors. Jeff’s mother was adopted through a foster system and he feels a deep calling to stay connected to foster programs and helping at-risk youth.
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| | | Development Advisory Board (D.A.B) Spotlight |
| The Development Advisory Board is a group of young professionals that strive to support CYN through fundraising, spreading awareness about its mission, recruiting volunteers, and developing its technology systems. |
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D.A.B Member: Michael Mack Mike grew up in Akron, Ohio and studied Pharmaceutical Science at the Ohio State University. He currently lives in San Francisco as an Account Executive doing software sales. He joined the City Youth Now Development Advisory Board to fulfill his passion to help others and use his skills to give back to the community. In his free time, he enjoys live music, film photography, and exploring California.
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| | City Youth Now Happy Hour @ Soda Popinski’s
Thank you to everyone that was able to make it out to City Youth Now's Happy Hour last Friday! It was great to see so many new faces supporting San Francisco's foster and justice-involved youth. Five lucky attendees won raffles prizes including Beats headphones and a variety of wine gift baskets. Thank you to our Development Advisory Board for organizing the event and serving as guest bartenders for the night! Lastly, a huge shout out to Soda Popinski's for allowing us to take over their bar for the evening! Left to Right: Sarah, Ben B. Marisol T., Jessica L. (All CYN DAB Members) |
| Want to join a fun group of young professionals looking to change lives? Have a creative project or fundraising idea?
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| | | In Case You Missed It.... |
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| An Evening of Thanks Thank you to all our donors, supporters, and volunteers for joining us at the California Tennis Club to celebrate the power of community this past September. You make it possible for San Francisco’s youth to obtain the holistic, individualized services they need in order to thrive. We appreciate each and every one of you!
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| | Left to Right: Yvette R. (CYN Program & Administrative Manager) and Alan S. (AFSF Executive Director) |
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| | Left to Right: Jessica L. (CYN DAB Member) and Shanel S. (CYN Program Coordinator) |
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www.cityyouthnow.org
415-753-7576info@cityyouthnow.org
375 Woodside Ave, San Francisco, CA 94127 |
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