We are often asked how people can help the Youth Center and our members. One of our programs that continuously needs support is our food program. Did you know that we serve after school snacks and dinner each day? We serve approximately 15,000 meals each year, totaling nearly 750,000 meals served since our food program first began

Last week we shared how monetary donations and grocery gift cards help us fund the thousands of meals we provide each year. Another way to help us with our food program is to support our special event nights for the kids! Each month we strive to have a birthday celebration for all of the birthdays that are had in that particular month. This celebration usually includes a pizza or take-out party! A lot of our members rarely get treated with takeout at home, and even fewer have gotten the chance to visit any of the local restaurants in the area. A great way to create a special memory for the kids of the youth center is to “sponsor” a party or treat night! 

Coordinating a day with us to bring over pizzas, tacos, or other restaurant food not only takes the financial piece off of us, it also allows the kids to see that members of the community are also celebrating them and cheering them on. Oftentimes birthdays and milestones can be overlooked for our kids, and you’d be surprised how much they appreciate something special each month. We’ve had members of the community also recognize our kids with baked goods like cake pops and cookies delivered to the YC. Who doesn’t like a cookie after a long day at school?! 

So if you’re brainstorming a way to give this holiday season, and you’re looking for an easy way to bring a smile to the faces of local kids, consider reaching out to us to coordinate a special meal or treat for our members! You can email us at gfareayouthcenter@gmail.com