Summer 2007
SUMMER CAMP OFFERS YOUTH FUN ALTERNATIVE
For youth, summer is a time of fun and freedom. However, summer also poses a unique challenge for parents who want to ensure their children are engaged in positive, supervised activities during out-of-school time. The Don Bosco Youth Development Center offers parents and youth a solution to summer boredom through its annual summer camp.
The Don Bosco Summer Camp is designed for youth ages 5-14, and includes a variety of educational programs, field trips, arts and crafts, and sports. Camp enrollment increased to 50 children this year, compared to 27 in 2006. Scholarships were available for families who could not afford the registration fee. The camp runs every Monday through Thursday through August 2.
“Parents enroll their children in our summer camp because we provide a safe and secure place for their kids,” said Deborah Clark, Youth Services Specialist. “Don Bosco’s camp experience is creative, memorable, supportive, fun and energetic.”
This year, particular emphasis was placed on increasing diversity within the camp. Concerted outreach efforts resulted in a 16% increase in enrollment from the Latino community.
“The youth are having fun, meeting other youth from various cultures and making new friends,” said Clark.
NEW WORK EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM HELPS PEOPLE FIND JOBS
The Don Bosco Family Support Center provides emergency assistance for families and individuals in need. The services the Center provides are intended to help individuals and families move from a time of crisis into self-sufficiency. However, when the Center's staff began seeing an influx of individuals struggling with joblessness, it moved into a higher gear and created the Work Empowerment Program (WE).
The WE Program started in October 2006 as the result of a practicum project developed by Robert Walker, a master of social work student from UMKC. The program is designed to help people find full or part-time employment - especially those whose circumstances pose particular obstacles to employment. The program works with individuals struggling with mental health issues, criminal backgrounds, addiction recovery, and/or homelessness. The Family Support Center provides intense one-on-one job development, case management, utility assistance, rent, food, hygiene and clothing assistance.
"Without this program, most of these clients would not have the chance to enter the workforce," said Carla Brewer, Director of Family Support. "Now they can contribute to society."
Since the program's inception, 18 individuals have successfully participated in the program. Success is determined by the program's ability to transition clients into a permanent placement program, educational program, or full or part-time employment. Currently, 20 additional clients are receiving or awaiting services.
According to Brewer, Don Bosco's holistic approach to meeting the needs of clients, commitment to quality case management, and the dedication of Walker are at the center of the WE Program's success.
"Our clients are getting jobs, higher educations, workplace trainings or referrals to other opportunities in the community," said Brewer. "People are feeling better about themselves because one man had the idea to help them find a job."
For more information on Don Bosco's WE Program, e-mail rwalker@donbosco.org.
DON BOSCO HELPS KIDS PREPARE FOR BACK-TO-SCHOOL
According to the National Retail Federation, in 2006 the average family spent $86 per child for school supplies. For families already struggling financially, equipping children for the school year can be a heavy financial burden. The Don Bosco Centers are seeking to alleviate some of that burden through its annual Project Yes School Supply Drive.
Project Yes encourages individuals, groups, faith communities and businesses to hold school supply drives in an effort to equip Northeast Kansas City’s children for the upcoming school year. The supplies are distributed to the families already served by Don Bosco through its six interrelated centers: Charter High School, Counseling Center, English as a Second Language Center, Family Support Center, Senior Center, and Youth Development Center.
“The individuals and families we serve often come to us with a complex set of needs,” said Nicholas Scielzo, President of the Don Bosco Centers. “Providing very specific, practical assistance to families seeking to prepare their kids for school is just one of the ways we meet those needs.”
Some of the supplies requested include paper, pens, pencils, folders, glue, spiral notebooks, markers, scissors, erasers, facial tissue, and backpacks. In addition, financial contributions to the drive are used to purchase additional backpacks and supplies. Project Yes will run through the end of July. More information about participating in Project Yes may be found at www.donbosco.org/projectyes.html.
“Kansas City has always shown such great support for Don Bosco,” said Scielzo. “We’re looking forward to seeing that support demonstrated again to make this year’s school supply drive a success.”
AMERISTAR AND HERMES LANDSCAPING PARTNER TO BEAUTIFY DON BOSCO SENIOR CENTER
On Monday, May 21, volunteers from Ameristar and Hermes Landscaping arrived at the Don Bosco Senior Center with gardening gloves, shovels and trowels in hand. Their goal for the day: to better the lives of senior adults by cleaning up the Senior Center's patio and planting fresh flowers.
Nine Ameristar Team Members and one volunteer from Hermes Landscaping spent four hours weeding, tilling soil, and planting shrubs and flowers as the senior adults looked on with pleasure. Following the service project, the volunteers joined the seniors for lunch at the Senior Center.
“There are now many colorful plantings, it is really beautiful,” said Anne Miller, Director of the Don Bosco Senior Center.
Ameristar’s efforts are part of Ameristar Cares, a three-part citizenship effort that includes financial contributions to charities, a workplace giving campaign and Team Member volunteer engagement. Ameristar has been a partner of the Don Bosco Senior Center since 2005.
“Our seniors feel good knowing that community partners like Ameristar and Hermes Landscaping are willing to invest in them,” said Miller.
SCIENCE CLASS PARTICIPATES IN KC CLEAN STREAMS WORKDAY
On Friday, April 20, 11 Don Bosco Charter High School students (led by teachers Susan Palmer, Linda Lif and one parent) participated in a metro-wide clean up of local rivers and streams. Students collected 10 large bags of trash and a few car parts from a pond and the surrounding wooded area near Chestnut and Cliff Drive in Kansas City, Mo. During the project, Kate Delehunt of The Blue River Watershed Association met with the students to talk about the major sources of pollution in waterways.
In addition to the cleanup, water in the pond was tested for pH (8.3, slightly basic as a result of the limestone in the area), turbidity (water was not very clear), and conductivity (a measure of total dissolved salts and metals). Water and mud samples were taken for determining the presence of bacteria and protozoa, and were later studied in the classroom. Two types of eggs were found on potato chip bags and Styrofoam taken from the pond; the items were placed in a classroom aquarium to see if anything would hatch. After examinations and observations were complete, all water samples and life forms in the water were returned to the pond.
DON BOSCO LAUNCHES LATINO OUTREACH INITIATIVE
As a result of Northeast Kansas City's growing Latino population, Don Bosco has begun exploring ways to better meet the needs of its diverse community. One step it has taken in this effort is to hire a Latino Outreach Director to increase Don Bosco's presence in the Latino community, the awareness around the organization's programs and services, and explore potential partnerships with other community agencies.
In March 2007, the Don Bosco Centers brought Ercilia Hernandez on board as the Latino Outreach Director. Hernandez will seek to increase Don Bosco's ability to meet the needs of the Latino community, establish partnerships that benefit Don Bosco's clients, increase staff cultural awareness, and enhance the organization's relationship with other ethnic groups in the community.
A special thank you is extended to the Victor E. Speas Foundation (Bank of America, Trustee) and the H.R. Block Foundation for their generous support of this initiative.
CORPORATE CAMPAIGN SPONSORS
Don Bosco thanks those companies who have committed to supporting the 2007 Corporate Campaign. It's not too late to get involved! Help people build better lives by investing in the work of Don Bosco. Call Linda Siemens at 816-961-2902 or e-mail lsiemens@donbosco.org to find out how your company can get involved!
