Goal: To support youth emancipating from the foster care or probation systems throughout their transition into adulthood.
Website: http://www.voicesyouthcenter.org/
Email:
In 2004, community leaders from various agencies that support foster youth in Napa County came together to formally address the question - What happens to foster youth after they leave the system? They quickly discovered that the challenges facing these youth were insurmountable - and the services they were receiving insufficient. These community leaders gathered over 100 representatives from various agencies and created a task force to address this problem. The idea of V.O.I.C.E.S. was born in order to centralize the resources available to transitioning foster youth in Napa County. On The Move proposed that the best way to develop this program was to have youth at the center working in collaboration with adults. In the summer of 2005 ten youth, all of whom had been in the foster care system, were recruited to become the founders of V.O.I.C.E.S. - providing a powerful voice for Napa County foster youth. After only 90 days, the founding youth hosted the grand opening of the nation's first youth-led emancipation center of its kind in November 2005. V.O.I.C.E.S' unique approach to youth development has helped to serve youth from many different backgrounds get connected to resources that include but are not limited to: housing, education, employment, wellness (physical, mental, and spiritual health), transportation, legal services, and access to computers and laundry services. Building upon the success of V.O.I.C.E.S., a second Center was opened in Santa Rosa in April of 2009 bringing similar services and programs to the youth of Sonoma County. In 2009 alone, V.O.I.C.E.S. Napa and Sonoma served over 1,000 youth in their transition towards independence while providing a loving environment to call home. V.O.I.C.E.S. - Napa houses a ministry led by the Rev. Linda S. Powers. She serves as Chaplain and Wellness Program Coordinator. This ministry delivers programming for young moms and their babies, conducts a drug and alcohol support group and provides support services for mental, physical and spiritual health. Some examples of these support services are providing food through a mini loaves and fishes program, faith based 12 step work, individual spiritual and pastoral counseling, and Love Interventions (crisis management). As Rev LSP (as she is called by the youth) is quick to say, "let the healing begin!" Most foster youth walk around with a huge emptiness inside. If not given the chance to fill that emptiness with the love and values V.O.I.C.E.S. can provide, these youth will find other destructive things to fill the void. V.O.I.C.E.S. becomes the "family" many of these youth never had. The youth of Napa and Sonoma Counties need your support. With your help, V.O.I.C.E.S. can continue to provide underprivileged youth with the support and opportunities they need to lead a healthy and fulfilling life.
Project ID: 59Click a photo to see the larger version.
