In 1940, the Don Bosco Community Center was created by the residents of Northeast Kansas City's Columbus Park neighborhood to provide a safe place with positive activities for the youth of community. Over the last 68 years, Don Bosco has grown into a comprehensive social service agency that meets a broad spectrum of needs, but still retains some of its initial focus: to better the lives of the community's youth. The Don Bosco Youth Development Center provides a variety of activities, including intramural sports, summer camps, tutoring programs, and college and career exploration programs; as well as programs that build self-esteem and promote healthy lifestyles. Many families, like Shalonda Nelson and her children, turn to Don Bosco for these activities.

"[The Youth Development Center] gives my children a place to have fun and learn. I can feel at ease that they are in a safe place with staff I know will honestly care for them," said Nelson.

Nelson tells of her oldest daughter who volunteered over 400 hours with the Youth Development Center, and has gone on to nursing school as a result of her involvement in the Center's programs and the positive influence of the staff. Nelson's younger children continue to be involved in the Center's reading club, afterschool activities, community service program, and summer camp.

"Without the opportunities the Don Bosco Youth Development Center has provided for me and my children, I would not have been capable of having my children involved in so many activities," said Nelson. "These are experiences that many children living in the inner city and on limited income do not get the chance to participate in."

An investment in The Don Bosco Centers is an investment in the lives of the 2,000 people who access the organization's programs and services each day. It is an investment in individuals, like Shalonda Nelson, who simply seek a better life for their children.

Have a story to share? E-mail Jennifer Anthony at janthony@donbosco.org.