News And Views
Greetings!
Did you know that each month, Youth Crossroads impacts over 1,400 youth and families through a wide range of services and activities? From on-line counseling, to after-school arts and crafts, to distribution of over 20,000 pounds of food to local families, YC works hard to meet the challenges of these times.
We are deeply grateful to all our supporters who make our services possible. The Healthy Communities Foundation, United Way of Metro Chicago and The Paul M. Angell Family Foundation are among those community partners that have provided exceptional additional support to help Youth Crossroads weather the Covid-19 pandemic.
As we continue through the winter months ahead, let’s all be aware of and grateful for the joy and love in our lives. We wish you all a healthy, peaceful holiday season!
Dave Terrazino, Executive Director
Counseling & Support Services
In The News
Youth Crossroads Mentioned in Morton East HS News
This is a sober reality that many kids are facing. Thank you to everyone who is working hard to build relationships and support kids through this difficult time.
Analysis: Is the Pandemic an Adverse Childhood Experience?
Taking Care Of You & Those You Love
Maybe some of these will help while stuck inside the house:
- Alicia Keys – Good Job covered by One Voice Children’s Choir, A tribute to COVID19 Heroes
- Winter Resiliency: Fostering Mental Health in Times of Crisis
- After the Bell, the School Bubble Breaks
- “Just Like Me” Compassion Practice
Black Lives Matter
As Youth Crossroads dives deeper into the effects of racism and racial trauma on young people of color’s social and emotional development, we keep listening, learning and sharing with the community. Our hope is to enhance all of our understanding by providing informative articles in various disciplines. Here are this month’s selections:
Youth Development Program
What We’ve Been Up To
“Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth.”- Muhammad Ali
Each week the Youth Leadership Program teens (YLP) have been showing up in the cold and – due to the time change – dark to hand out and assemble our take-home kits to the community. Great job YLP! We appreciate all your hard work this month. – Briani Shorter, YLP Coordinator
Dia de los Muertos Community Health and Resource Fair
On November 2, we hosted an outdoor, socially distanced “Dia de los Muertos Community Health and Resource Fair.” Our partners at Meridian Health, the Children’s Center of Cicero and Berwyn, Morton College Early Childhood programs, and Cicero Family Services passed out information on programs and resources available to families. Jewel Osco pharmacy provided free flue vaccines to all those attending.
In honor of Dia de los Muertos, one of our Board of Directors created a small ofrenda (offering) and the high school students from our Youth Leadership Program passed out over 150 Dia de los Muertos themed take-home activity kits.
Cicero Community Collaborative (CCC)
In Local News
Youth Crossroads is partnering with the Hispanic Business Network to “adopt” 50 families for the holiday season. Families will receive toys, clothing and shoes.
Register/apply using this link. We’ll follow up by phone for additional information (clothing size, family situation, etc.).
Read about United Way’s Important Impact in the Area
For information on CCC activities and how to get involved, contact Silvia Perez at 708.484.7400 or silviap@youthcrossroads.org. Visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/CiceroCommunityCollaborative.
The Cicero Community Collaborative (CCC), with funding from the United Way of Metro Chicago, organizes local resources to improve conditions for Cicero children, youth and families. Youth Crossroads serves as fiscal agent for the collaborative, with several staff members serving in leadership roles. The goal of the CCC is to help 10,000 children achieve academic and developmental milestones by 2027. CCC has a 3-year plan to achieve this.
Contributors’ Corner
We Couldn’t Do This Meaningful Work Without Your Support
BIG NEWS! Now there’s a new way to donate to Youth Crossroads, thanks to our friends at Amazon Smile — Charity Lists. Help make a difference and support a cause that matters to you. Shop AmazonSmile Charity Lists at YC Charity Lists.
Select what you’d like to donate from the Counseling, Youth Development and Office Supplies Lists. You pay nothing extra, and Smile.Amazon ships directly to us. It’s easy! Thanks for helping improve our programs.
Donate Now
Please consider becoming a valued monthly donor.
Why? Your consistent donations allow us to make plans for new programs,
more staff, better activities and classes, Zoom meetings, and crisis services.
ANY amount is most appreciated. Can you sign up for $5 per month now?
Yes, I’ll become a monthly donor!
Remember, you can make an impact for YC while you shop as usual at
Amazon.com during the holidays. Always start at smile.amazon.com and
Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible purchases to
Youth Crossroads, at no cost to you.
All the good work you see in this newsletter is possible thanks
to the support of our loyal donors. YOU make it happen, and we are most grateful.
What’s Your “Why”?
If you’d like to share why you support YC’s mission to GUIDE SUPPORT and INSPIRE local youth, please let us know. We’d love to hear what your “Why” is. Feedback always helps us do better work!
“MY WHY IS…”