Together for Hope - COVID-19 Response for Youth

Our Teen Center in DC typically offers a safe space for youth to congregate and participate in an array of after-school enrichment opportunities. Despite the physical closure of our Teen Center last March, youth in our Teen Center programs have remained connected and engaged in programming. 

Thanks to supporters like you, we were able to help youth and families transition to virtual engagement by providing laptops, internet hotspots, and technology assistance.

Dedicated staff and youth made virtual programming a success with educational enrichment, arts and media classes, cooking classes, leadership programs, and creative activities such as virtual college tours, museum viewings, and field trips. Check out our Summer Remix participants' impressive creative work in the program culminating magazine project attached to this report.

This Spring, Teen Center staff and youth will jump into exciting programming in collaboration with HumanitiesDC, working on a project to orally and visually document DC history from the 1960s to the present. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased feelings of isolation and uncertainty and LAYC's virtual programming has been critical to maintaining youths' connections to caring adults and building a sense of community. Not only has transitioning to virtual programming been a learning and growth opportunity for our staff and youth, we have realized that, even without coming together in a physical building, we can create a safe space full of community, support, and belonging. 

Your support has made this possible!

With gratitude,

Lupi Quinteros-Grady
President and CEO