In The Community

YPC Youth Member in the News Listen to our youth member speak with reporters from WAMU about the teacher layoffs. Click here for the website. Once you are linked, click on the audio to hear our youth member.   Letter to Our Alumni, Current Participants, Family and Friends September 13, 2009 Dear The Good Samaritan Foundation/Youth Power Center Family, Thank you for your steadfast support and powerful prayers over the years as we continue to grow and impact the lives of many youth in the District of Columbia. You all have been the pivotal reason for us to evolve to offer more services, supports and opportunities. As you all know, the economic meltdown has resulted in the loss of many jobs, homes, businesses, and other assets. Along with these material items, there were many good memories lost. Locally, there have been many organizations that significantly reduced programming due to severe funding cuts or had to close completely and sell assets. We have had to make very hard decisions and the good news is that we are still growing the program with funding from relatively new sources such as AmeriCorps State and AmeriCorps VISTA, DC Neighborhood Investment Fund, and the American Bar Association. The GSF/YPC Training Center was designed as a dream project for all participants past and present to enjoy in the community and use its resources to better themselves. There was a lot of time, energy, and resources that went into the development, design, demolition, and construction of the center. This project was oftentimes the largest agenda item during our board meetings. It is with a heavy but blessed heart to inform you that the training center located on 2405 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue has been sold to Howard Road Academy as of September 2009 below market value. YPC did not make a profit from the sale of the building. The Howard Road Academy is a good organization that will meet many needs of the community we envisioned. Although we are disappointed in the sale of our dream that was almost realized, there is still a lot of which we can be proud. Youth Power Center still continues!  For those that do not know, The Good Samaritan Foundation underwent a strategic branding process due to the fact that we still, to this day, receive calls from people who ask if we offer transitional housing, burial assistance, food pantry, and many other requests that are not in our mission – to prepare youth for leadership in the workplace and community. Since the story of The Good Samaritan is very familiar with the general public, it can be inferred that The Good Samaritan Foundation has a strong connection to the biblical story.  Youth Power Center came from the voices of current participants, alumni, parents, and partners. It represents the fullness of the mission which remains the same. Despite the setback of the training center, we are immensely proud that the program has grown in spite of funding cuts and requests from schools for increased services. During the 2008 -2009 school year: the after-school program has worked with approximately 149 (evidenced from WEBSTARS data collection system) youth that attend Kramer Middle School, Anacostia Senior High School, Ballou High School, and IDEA Public Charter School. YPC is a vetted and approved DCPS Partner as of 2008. This summer YPC partnered with Peak Safety Systems to train over 38 disconnected youth who received over five green rehabilitation certificates and are on their way to secure employment in the job market. Additionally, this summer “DC Youth Power News (a youth led media outlet on YouTube),” “Zero Waste in Hunger’s Face (a youth workgroup that received over 300 pounds of food to donate to charity),” and “Power from the Earth (a youth entrepreneur workgroup that developed a business plan and marketing strategy for selling compost,” was established by youth participants that were connected with YPC and the Department of Employment Services Summer Program. Overall, YPC has engaged over 203 youth this year to date! Youth Power Center has also added some technological changes. In listening to alumni members, YPC created a new website, www.youthdc.org, with the immense contribution of Elise Straub – a former AmeriCorps VISTA who now serves as the Afterschool Advisor at Kramer Middle School’s Afterschool Program.  We eventually will grow our Alumni Relations Department; we have created a Facebook Cause Page and a GSF/YPC alumni and friends page (please visit the website above for the link). We truly appreciate your concerns and prayers as we continue to grow. You all are the reason we are still committed to the cause.   Lawrence Dark Executive Director

The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region's Blog - August 18, 2009 "The Community Foundation has made improving education for young people a long-term priority for our community leadership efforts and investments. While this is a regional priority, the numbers do “tell the story”—the District of Columbia Public School system is the most troubled in the region. Please click here to read my new blog about strengthening our schools, particularly in the District." -Terry Lee Freeman

 

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