HYC Helping Families During Crucial Times!
Hello Friends of HYC,

HYC has been steadfast and dedicated in supporting families since the inception of the Safer at Home Order by the County on March 19 and throughout the COVID-19 public health emergency. During this pandemic, many of the families we serve at HYC through our child abuse programs are low-income to very low-income and have experienced extreme financial hardships, which have worsened during the pandemic. We have been very fortunate to have the support of funders such as CALICO - Children's Advocacy Centers of California, which provided HYC with emergency funds to support families during this challenging time. A very high number of families served by HYC programs are food insecure and relying on food banks and food donations. Some clients have not been able to successfully obtain diapers, hygiene, and cleaning supplies from stores due to shortages caused by COVID-19. Many families are also experiencing utility disconnections during a time when children are home and need access to electricity and internet services for school and to continue counseling sessions through HYC's Telehealth services.
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The incredibly generous support from the CALICO funds has allowed us to provide some of the following help to families:

$24,790.88 was spent on gift cards, providing 124 families with children food, clothing, diapers, personal care, and household cleaning supplies.
 
$11,609.12 was spent for utility assistance, providing 42 families facing hardship with service during the crisis.
"The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted my family greatly, since it started in March my boyfriend was put out of work so that income was lost. I was also put out in March by my doctors because of my high risk pregnancy. I had my baby in April so I was on Maternity leave for 8 weeks since March. I returned back to work the end of May, and I'm still struggling financially to catch up to pay all my bills with just one income. I really appreciate HYC helping me with last month's utility bills, that was a big help to my family and me. Thank you so much!"

During this stressful time, the safety and well-being of the children we serve who are affected by abuse is our top priority. Our ability to engage with and help children and families referred to HYC for services is vital. We are extremely grateful for this support from CALICO, but we know more families will need support - families in similar situations to those that have been helped with the services above, and who need our help now.
YOU can help support families in need too by participating in one of our upcoming fundraisers, such as Long Beach Gives. Long Beach Gives is a 24-hour online fundraising campaign to support nonprofits making an impact in Long Beach! HYC is proud to be one of those nonprofits. You can help us reach our goal of $8,000 and donate to HYC through our Long Beach Gives page starting September 17 through September 24. Be a fundraising champion and create your Peer-to-Peer fundraising page to raise funds on behalf of HYC with family and friends! Visit the Long Beach Gives website by clicking the button below. Your support is much appreciated, and we thank you for helping us be there for vulnerable children!  
DON"T FORGET! The deadline to respond to the Census is September 30! Complete your household information today by going to www.my2020census.gov. 

By being counted, you can help your community get the deserved funding for programs such as healthcare services, emergency services, affordable housing, childcare, schools, and more! Starting in September, if you have not filled out your Census forms, additional mailers will be sent out, and a Census representative may contact you. Your community is counting on you! 
Let's continue to do our part to stay safe and healthy! The risk remains high and we must continue to follow the recommended guidelines. Please be sure you wear a cloth face mask to protect yourself and others when going out and refrain from large crowd gatherings. Be sure to use hand sanitizer or wash your hands when you are out and as soon as you get home. If you are sick or are experiencing any symptoms of illness, please stay home. To find out if you are eligible for a COVID-19 test, please visit the LA County website at covid19.lacounty.gov/testing/