On Sunday, December 16th,  the Star Ledger reporter John Mooney wrote about the plight of a young, single  mother with a child at the YCS TLC (Therapeutic Learning Center) click here.  This was followed by a profile on Sunday, January 13 by reporter Barry Carter on the challenges Quasheema and Kamar McPherson face as they enter adulthood click here.
 

The YCS Foundation began preparations for the holidays weeks and weeks in advance – reaching out to Santa’s helpers, compiling wish lists from the children and matching requests with many generous individuals and groups who wanted to make sure that the children enjoyed a special holiday. Every office was transformed into Santa’s wonderland as rooms and hallways filled with donated gifts. Hundreds of Secret Santas made sure that even the older children and children new to YCS all had special gifts to open.

YCS was delighted to receive help from many volunteers who stepped forward to make holiday preparations go smoothly. YCS Trustee Frank Shapiro and volunteers Kelly Ann Wollner and Karen Vitta joined forces with the Foundation team to check in deliveries, sort and identify presents. A group from Sony Electronics carefully selected and wrapped gifts to match the children’s requests.

The outpouring of concern and support from organizations, community groups, corporations and individuals was overwhelming. Thanks to the generosity of all our Secret Santas, not only did every YCS child have their holiday wishes come true, but YCS was able to respond to the requests of some of our neediest families as well. Please see Be the Spirit of the Season at the bottom of this page for one example of just how important your support is for our children and families.

Many groups also hosted parties for the children – opening their hearts to children who truly deserve nothing less. 

Our donors and volunteers made sure that every child had the opportunity to create new, happy memories this holiday. The joy on the children’s faces was their unforgettable gift to us all and we thank each and every one of you who has helped make this holiday season so special.

For a complete list of holiday sponsors and more holiday photos click here

NETS are “Basketball Buddies”

To celebrate the start of the new NBA basketball season, NJ NETS guard/forward Vince Carter provided VIP treatment at the MGM Grand All Access Lounge for teens from several area social service agencies before the team’s first game. Four teens from YCS were selected to high five the players as they entered the court and then sing the national anthem alongside the players. One youth remarked that when he went to bed that evening he imagined himself being in the NBA. “I felt more determined after I shook Vince Carter’s hand. I was thinking if he could do it, I could do it too.”

On December 22, Sly, the Nets mascot, hosted Sly’s Annual Toy Giveaway. Ten youngsters, 8-10 years of age from YCS were invited on the court at the IZOD Center for the toy giveaway. The children had 90 seconds to collect as many toys as possible in their Santa bags. Everything they gathered they were able to keep. The toys were generously donated by: Lego, BriarPatch, LG, Play Along, Razor, Revell, RipStik, Sceneit?, and UpperDeck.
 

HAPI president Ed Zimmerman and Darnell

Working Together

YCS and the Adler Aphasia Center in Maywood have joined forces to help each other during these fiscally challenging times. YCS has offered the use of its vans and drivers, when available, to transport Adler clients to special day activities or social events. The Center is a place where people touched by aphasia (the loss of words, not intellect) can comfortably communicate. Elaine and Michael Adler, founders of the Aphasia Center, recently learned of YCS and believing in its mission generously stepped forward as a Diamond sponsor for the 9th Annual YCS Festival of Flavors. We are looking forward to many years of mutual support.

For more information about aphasia and services provided by this innovative center, please visit www.adleraphasiacenter.org.

Suzanne Cherba, Ruthie Harper, Bob Wick, Ralph Longo, Beth Barone, Tina Grotheer and Robin Peck

CONGRATULATIONS

YCS Trustee Beth Barone was recently honored by the Colleen Giblin Foundation at their 2007 Millennium Women’s Luncheon. Barone, Senior Marketing Manager for Sony Electronics, Inc. in northern New Jersey, was recognized for the outstanding work she has done as manager for Sony’s volunteer program. Under her leadership and tutelage, Sony volunteers have become mentors to children at the YCS Holley Center and have consistently participated with them in a monthly dinner/game night.

Tina Foley (left) presented Dr. Gerard Costa, director of the YCS Institute for Infant and Preschool Mental Health with the Christian Kjeldsen: Champion for Children Award at the New Jersey Child Care Advisory Council (NJCCAC) annual awards luncheon. The NJCCAC honored Dr. Costa for “his leadership, vision and commitment to incorporating the science of social and emotional development into the early childhood field in a new and innovative way.” Costa commemorated the moment with his wife Kellie and their children Phillip and Ryan.
 

Kimberley Griffiths, the coordinator of the YCS Youth-In-Action (an after school enrichment program for the children in Newark's North Ward), recently shared this story with us. It not only speaks to the struggles many of the children and families at YCS face every day but it is also a testament to the generosity of our supporters and staff who respond with open hearts and arms when the call for help is sounded.

For many of us, a simple pleasure, like getting a parking spot yards from the mall entrance, helps relieve some of the pressure that we all feel during the busy holiday season. Now, imagine the stress a family feels when they do not have enough food to feed their children or money for heat - let alone gifts under the tree. A family from Youth-In-Action (YIA), is going through this at this very moment. The ailing grandmother is struggling to raise her two rambunctious teenage grandsons. They did not have a Thanksgiving and Christmas looked like it was going to be just another day.

The grandmother is in the process of moving out of a room they all share because it has been deemed “unsafe” and “unhealthy.” Grandma found a one- bedroom apartment which she can barely afford. They are preparing to move with just three mattresses, clothing and their bible. They have nothing else. The boys are suffering in so many ways. They are afraid their grandma is going to die in her sleep so they take turns sleeping next to her bed on the floor. Their grades and school participation are faltering. They are hungry, cold and angry a lot of the time. To top it off, just two weeks ago the boys went to McDonalds after church with grandma’s last $5 and were held up at knife point by boys their own age. Now, they are afraid to walk through their neighborhood.

The grandmother shared her personal story with us. A plea from YIA went out to colleagues and friends and within hours angels appeared bearing gifts to help this family start over. Members of Linens N Things, with YCS board member Jennifer Sweeney at the helm, collected items to stock the new apartment from bathroom to kitchen and every room in between. YCS employees donated food supplies, furniture and house wares.

Our YIA team will load up the “sleigh” and deliver everything to the new apartment while the boys are at school. When the boys return home from YIA, they will not just walk into an apartment, but they will arrive home.

Thanks to all the angels out there who made this miracle happen. Your kindness, selfishness and generosity were overwhelming and exemplified the true meaning of this time of the year. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.