Copy of YSB Newsletter #5 Website

News

5th issue

Kids facing difficult challenges are extremely fortunate to have access to YSB/BBBS’s professional, well-versed, and caring staff and resources. I know firsthand about the benefits that YSB offers, and although my situation differs from many, I give back in thanks by being a BBBS-BIG. I am like a grandmother BIG, and the site-based LITTLES are cool with that. It energizes me to be a mentor to a child who thrives with stability, positive attention, and loving support. Making a difference may be subtle but it’s powerful. Once I was late to Park Forest Elementary and my LITTLE was so happy when I showed up. I didn’t think she cared. She may not show it overtly or frequently, but deep down she cares immensely. That right there says it all for me.

-Ann Echols

BBBS Site-Based Volunteer

stormbreak painting

It truly takes a village to care for the

homes we provide for kids who need us, and

when a village comes together, amazing things can happen! We had 25 volunteers help us over four days this summer to scrape and paint the outside porches and window sills of our Stormbreak girls group home in State College. It took about 20 hours and 12 gallons of paint. All paint was donated by Fresh Coat Painters and Troy, the owner, gave us painting advice which was very helpful. All painting supplies were donated by Arize Federal Credit Union and Best Line Equipment donated a power washer to help us prepare our surfaces to be painted. The Builders Association of Central PA coordinated the paint donation and many of their members volunteered their time and expertise for this project. Additionally, S&A Homes replaced a rusted gutter (seen in the pictures) and replaced a fire door inside the house. If that wasn’t enough, youth across multiple YSB programs benefited from a workshop presented by the Builder’s Association to learn more about careers in the building field. Thank you to all who helped us with these projects! You made our youth feel truly valued.

www.ccysb.com

ounselor then trekked to Happy Wraps for dinner where A

ddie's Addie’s foster father, foster siblings, and her biological brother brother were waiting to admire her bling. The group finished off their evening playing at Talleyrand Park. Addie's

reunification

The process of family reunification is challenging, but when all of the adults in a child’s life work together, the child always benefits. One of our reunification counselors is working with a family of a toddler named Addie. At a recent birthday celebration attended by both Addie's biological mother and foster mother, Addie kept tugging on her earlobes. We soon learned that it was because she wanted to be like her older foster siblings who have their ears pierced. Her biological mother said it would be fine for her to get her ears pierced, but this was new territory for the foster mother and reunification counselor. The two moms agreed upon a day in July to take Addie to Confer’s Jewelers to have her ears pierced. While the

ladies at Confer’s stood at the ready with their piercing guns on either side of Addie, she wanted to be held by both of her moms. Addie cried for all of two seconds before being handed a mirror and admiring her new purple studs with an audible

"ohhhhhhhh!" The group along with their YSB reunification

counselor then trekked to Happy Wraps for dinner where Addie’s

foster father, foster siblings, and biological brother were

waiting to admire her bling. The group ended the evening

have extra time with both of her children that week, and

everyone was smiling from ear to ear, especially Addie with her

new purple earrings.

playing at Talleyrand Park. Addie's biological mom was able to

We are grateful for all those who donate during Centre Gives which is every May. If you’d like to donate for today, please click the link below.

www.ccysb.com

project safe & smart

The Smart Parents program helps adult caregivers tackle tough conversations to help keep their youth safe by creating a protective environment for kids and empowering and supporting caregivers. This program facilitates a conversation about healthy child sexual development, setting good boundaries, ensuring safety, and obtaining help in challenging situations. Join us for one of our upcoming workshops. You can register by scanning the QR code or visiting our website and clicking on Parenting & Family Support under Services.

Our BBBS program is having a busy but fun summer! At the end of June, we took a group of site-based Littles to the Lamar Fishing Hatchery to reel in some big ones with the Trout Unlimited crew. A couple of community-based matches were able to join us too!

Thanks to a generous donor, we were able to take a group of our site-based Littles to DelGrosso’s at the end of July. Our site-based Littles essentially “lose” their Bigs over the summer, so we plan several activities throughout the summer to keep them connected and supported. Squeals, smiles, laughs, and new friendships made are signs that this year’s trip was another success!

big brothers

big sisters

www.ccysb.com

now they b

are proud to announce the launch of their Centre LGBT+ Bigs & Littles

Site-Based Program

Volunteer Information Session

August 20th @5:30pm

Centre LGBT+ Center

*Email rlord@ccysb.com to RSVP*

Centre LGBT+

together with YSB’s BBBS

of Centre County

An On the Green 2024 Story

We are thrilled to share a heartwarming story from our recent annual golf tournament, On the Green. Thanks to a generous donation from Nick and Chris at Two Bros Bikes, we were able to feature a beautiful bicycle, along with a helmet, water cage, and bottle in our live auction. Not only did the addition of this auction item increase the financial success of our event, but the story took an even more inspiring turn when the winning bidder chose to donate the bike back to YSB. This act of kindness allowed us to gift the bike to a young boy in foster care, allowing him to experience the

support of his community in a very concrete way.

We deeply appreciate the support from Two Bros Bikes and the anonymous donor. Their generosity highlights the incredible partnerships we have with our sponsors and participants, which are essential in helping our programs thrive. If you are interested in making a donation for our auctions, please reach out to Kathy Coursen at kcoursen@ccysb.com. Together we can continue to make

a difference in the lives of the youth and families we serve.

Two Bros Bicycle Company

309 S. Logan Blvd., Burnham, PA

www.ccysb.com

Special Events

now they b

Flo bros. pizza

Awards Presentation

sunset slush

Youth Showcase

RSVP by scanning the QR code or clicking the

link below.

YSB

Hiring!

Please help us spread the word.

www.ccysb.com

On The Field needs your help!

We invite you to sponsor our clay shooting tournament with a donation of $300 to help us reach our course sign fundraising goal. Your generous support will not only make a significant impact on the lives of youth and families, but it will provide you with valuable exposure. As a course sign sponsor, your name or business will be prominently displayed on a sign at the event and featured on our social media.

We only need 8 more sponsors to reach our goal!

To register, contact Kathy at kcoursen@ccysb.com or click on the link below.

Upcoming

Events