By Lupi Quinteros-Grady | LAYC President & CEO
LAYC is committed to supporting our youth and families during this pandemic by providing grocery deliveries, hot meal distribution, connecting youth to telemental counseling services, and distributing Chromebooks for distance learning. Virtual programs are being offered to engage youth across all of our programs and reduce their isolation by fostering a sense of community.
We are also participating in #GivingTuesdayNow, a global day of giving responding to the needs caused by COVID-19.
As I describe in this video, the pandemic has dealt a tremendous blow to our youth and their path to success. For example, Michelle was ready to leave LAYC’s independent living housing program in March. She had graduated school, secured a job, and was securing her first apartment. She had built a solid support system and, for the first time, genuinely felt that she was actually going to make it. Then COVID-19 arrived and disrupted her goal to live in her own apartment.
This crisis has set youth like Michelle back months, if not years, in achieving multiple goals. In just two months, the unemployment rate among our youth has increased to 62%; in-person education has been disrupted, and youth are further isolated due to social distancing. Our youth and families urgently need food, rental assistance, laptops and communication equipment, mental health support, and other critical resources. You can read more here about the needs of homeless and foster care youth, and how LAYC staff are responding to those needs.
Youth who were on track to reach their goals have been brought back to a time of instability. Once the immediate crisis has passed, these youth will have a long road of rebuilding, which will require intensive support and time to heal.
On this Giving Tuesday, I hope you will join us in rallying "Together for Hope" to keep our youth and families connected and protected.
Your gift will provide these youth with the support, hope, and encouragement that will enable them to heal and rebuild.
WIth my deepest gratitude,
Lupi Quinteros-Grady
President & CEO
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