 |
|
 Letter from the President/CEO
...At the Heart of Upcoming Summer Programs
This month, I had the opportunity to attend my first in-person outdoor gathering with the lovely women of our Affinity Group. It felt so good to actually visit with them and see their faces off the screen.
I am so grateful that several of the Affinity members have generously volunteered to donate scholarships for our Connect program to ensure that middle school and high school youth have the opportunity to enroll in this valuable five-week program this summer.
A participant in our most recent Connect group recently told us, " I think every high schooler should have a class like this." Thanks to scholarships, we are offering 40 more students a chance to participate. The deadline for interested students is June 20.
We are also offering three more free parent education sessions again, thanks to their popularity among parents and caregivers. Directions to sign up for these opportunities are in the articles below.
As the state opens back up, and we transition from our COVID-era lives it is more important than ever to be gentle with our mental health, practice healthy coping tools and re-connect with supportive peers.
As always, thank you for being "at the heart of helping!"
Sara Myers
President/CEO
P.S. We are planning to continue feeding hungry families again this summer, but our inventory is low! Could you take a quick look at what we need below and make a donation? Thank you!
|
Summer Pantry Needs!
...At the Heart of Restocking Our Shelves with Your Donations
Usually in the summertime, we take a break from our Food for Kids program to restock our shelves while school is out. However, due to the increase demand as a result of COVID, we are continuing our program this Summer, like we did in 2020. We are running low and urgently need the following:
-
Pasta
-
Pasta Sauce
- Rice (family size, not bulk)
- Breakfast Cereals
We would love to add your handmade drawings, cards and letters to the food bags to the families. This is a great empathy craft activity for your whole family. Just drop them off with the donated food and we will get them to the families.
For this urgent drive, appointments are not necessary, you can drop off the food anytime between 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, except holidays. (We are closed for Memorial Day on 5/31) For evening drop offs, please call (310) 212-5009 to schedule.
You can also find a link to our Amazon Wish List to have these items shipped directly to us!
|
Apply Now for Summer Connect Groups
...At the Heart of Gaining Valuable Coping Skills and Connections
"The Connect group really helped me learn more about mental health and stress management. It was my favorite hour of every week!" - Winter 2021 Participant
We are excited to announce that we are hosting two summer Connect groups for students going into 6th through 12th grade. Now that the state is opening back up, one group will be held in-person, and the other will be held online. The choices are:
Attend In-Person at the Volunteer Center:
Tuesdays, July 6 - August 3, 4:00-5:30 pm PST (Parent Session 8/8)
or
Attend Via Zoom
Tuesdays, July 6 - August 3, 6:00-7:30 pm PST (Parent Session 8/8)
Like our last two successful groups, students this summer will attend interactive sessions over five weeks with a licensed mental health professional, Macy Grim M.S., LPCC, to gain confidence, increase self-esteem, practice empathy, learn new coping tools, better express themselves and connect more closely with peers and family.
The quick online application is due on June 20. Up to 40 students will be able to attend the five week sessions for FREE thanks to scholarships from generous donors and sponsors!
|
Free Parent Education Back for Summer
...At the Heart of Helping Parents Connect
Due to the popularity of our parent education sessions, and thanks to generous donors and sponsors, we are offering three free sessions again this Summer, for parents and caregivers who missed the first round.
The sessions are one hour each and will be offered via Zoom. Presenters Macy Grim, Ariel Mendelson, MS, APCC, and Rachel Edwards, MA, APCC will offer the following topics:
Session 1: Teen's Stress Toolkit
Wednesday, June 9, 2021 at 7:00 pm PDT
Learn specific skills to help your child cope with stress.
Session 2: Your Teen's Love Language
Friday, June 18, 2021 at 7:00 pm PDT
Explore ways to connect and communicate that resonate with your child.
Session 3: Decoding Teen Behavior
Thursday, July 8, 2021 at 7:00 pm PDT
Learn the science behind teen brain development.
To register, go to macygrimtherapy.com. Click " request appointment." Enter your information, and in "messages" indicate which classes you'd like to join. You will receive an email containing your Zoom invitation.
|
In-Kind Bulk Donations Help Hundreds of Families
...At the Heart of Spreading Kindness
From time to time, businesses call us to make in-kind product donations. We are able to then quickly activate our Nonprofit Network of agency partners to ensure that the items get delivered quickly to the families who need them. This happened this past winter with more than 10,000 books generously donated by the Molina Foundation, and also most recently with hundreds of pairs of socks donated by an anonymous company that we are giving to Pediatric Therapy Network families.
For more information about making large bulk in-kind donations like these, or to apply to become part of our Nonprofit Network of recipients, please send an email to [email protected].
|
Final Reminder: Applications Due June 1!
...At the Heart of Much Needed Scholarship Funding
Final reminder to get those applications in for our Durfee Family Scholarship which provides assistance to deserving young people who, despite personal challenges, are striving to attend institutions of higher learning. Five $2,000 scholarships will be awarded to university or college-bound students in South Bay, Harbor and Long Beach school districts.
|
Grateful For Our Food For Kids Donors!
...At the Heart of Collecting 2,465 pounds of food this month
Our Food For Kids weekly meal delivery program is completely volunteer-driven, which means every month we depend on your kindness!
Affinity Group/Board Vice Chair Dianne & Hans Bozler - 162 lbs
Affinity Group Member Silia Sofko - 30 lbs
Carson Lions Club - 148 lbs
Hadassah L'dor V'dor - 8 lbs
Holt Family - 1,913 lbs
Isibura Pejic - 30 lbs
Lenaya Sterling with the CSUDH Pre-Healthy Society - 17 lbs
Sandpipers - 84 lbs
Anonymous Donors: 72.5 lbs
You can also find a link to our Amazon Wish List to have donations shipped directly to us!
|
KINDNESS OPPORTUNITY
|
Volunteer Amongst the Butterflies
...At the Heart of Finding Incredible Ways to Serve!
The South Coast Botanic Garden is urgently looking for both youth volunteers (15 and up) and adult volunteers to volunteer in its breathtaking gardens this summer, with a limited number of volunteers needed in its amazing SOAR Butterfly Pavilion.
Volunteers interact with the public so they are looking for individuals who are comfortable talking with guests and standing for long periods of time. Many of the positions are temporary/low commitment and there are many shifts during the week needed.
SOAR Guides require an application to go through additional training to become butterfly educators.
|
THANK YOU TO OUR MAJOR
CORPORATE & FOUNDATION GRANTORS:
(Gifts Made in Support of July 1, 2020 - June 30, 2021 Programs)
|
|
The Volunteer Center South Bay-Harbor-Long Beach
|
Recognizing the value of empathy and service to others, the Volunteer Center has been "at the heart of helping" for more than 55 years. Our mission is to increase social and emotional wellness in youth and families in our community and we measure this impact through a rise in empathy and resilience for those we serve. To learn more about our programs and history, visit www.volcenter.org.
|
|
|
|
|
|
