Global Art for Peace Exchange

This year we participated in the Global Art Project for Peace Exchange!  Through this fun program, groups of youth from around the world are paired up to exchange peace themed works of art.  The KYC has participated in this program for many years and it has proven to be a wonderful way to promote world peace and build global connections.  This year the KYC was paired with Ever Day Art Studio in Malaysia.  Yesterday our work of art started it’s journey from Wolfeboro Falls post office to Malaysia!

For this year’s exchange, we decorated a globe with themes of global peace and global health.  The globe is ‘wearing’ a face mask to represent the measures being taken around the world to stop the spread of COVID-19.  One end of the face mask is pinned on the northeastern United States and the other is pinned on Malaysia to represent our connection made through Global Art Project for Peace!  KYC and Ever Day Art Studio logos are adhered at our respective countries.

Run For Hope!

Last week, a small group from the KYC walked in Families In Transition-New Horizon’s fourth annual Run for Hope.  This virtual event was a perfect socially distanced activity for the KYC’s recently reopened programs!

Thank you to the board members and staff members who donated to cover KYC teens’ registrations costs!

The Hope House is a great friend of the KYC.  Through past collaborations, KYC teens have toured the Hope House and have contributed hand-made fleece blankets to Hope House families.  The success of this virtual fundraiser is great inspiration as we prepare for our adaptive new fund-raiser, ‘The Chilly Challenge,’  a cold November swim followed by a virtual celebration!

Summer Programs at the KYC!

We are happy to announce that we have opened for summer programs under the State of NH Day Camp Guidance!  Programs are certainly different, but it’s been great seeing our teens!  (Teens interested in participating should contact the KYC).

We are now offering in-person programs on Monday nights and Thursday afternoons, virtual programs on Wednesday nights, and food for families from our own mini thrift shop, ‘The KYC Kupboard!’

During our summer programs, we’ve enjoyed games, campfires, walks, bike rides, and time with friends.  We decorated our bus for the Town of Wolfeboro 4th of July Decorating contest, and are working on a work of art to send to students in Malaysia through the Global Art of Peace Project!

Care Packages and Unveiling the KYC Kupboard!

For thirteen weeks in a row, the KYC provided care packages to our KYC members and their families! Every Thursday, KYC staff compiled boxes and bags filled with fresh produce, meats, dairy, shelf stable items, treats, take home activities, and more! Families took turns driving up and loading their cars. We regularly provided packages for upwards of 30 students weekly.

As summer has approached, the KYC has moved away from care packages and has replaced them with our brand new KYC Kupboard! The KYC Kupboard is filled with food and other shelf stable items. Spaghetti, sauces, canned fruits and vegetables, baking items, drinks, cereal, shelf stable juices and milk, chips, crackers, granola bars, cookies, and more are available for families to load up on! We are excited to add in yet another resource to our repertoire here at the KYC!

All of this goes into one weekly care package!

Zachary showing off the new KYC Kupboard!

End of School Year Celebration!

As remote learning came to close in June, the KYC wanted to celebrate our teens! We know remote learning was very different from what everyone envisioned for the 2019-2020 school year, but from what we heard, our students did great with being flexible and overcame many obstacles!

Over 30 KYC members, community members, KYC supporters, and board members logged on to a video call for a virtual celebration. We had three special guest speakers; singer/songwriter Emma Jedow, local celebrity Chucky Rosa, and Eric Moran, CRSW.! All three shared wonderful messages of hope during this unprecedented time. Then KYC members took turns sharing with our community; even one of our recent graduates, Bradley, shared about his experience with graduating during remote learning. Then we ended the event with a slideshow of past KYC programs!

It was great to be able to celebrate the achievements of our KYC members. We are so proud of all of you, and hope you are having a great summer!

Chucky Rosa of Chucky’s Fight, speaking during our online celebration!

The KYC is Participating in NH Gives!

The New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits calls it a 24-hour ‘flash-mob of giving!’  What a wonderful concept to rally around during these challenging times!  The Kingswood Youth Center (KYC), along with hundreds of other worthy New Hampshire non-profits will be participating in NH Gives, an online event, which will run from 6:00 PM on June 9 until 6:00 PM on June 10.  The Kingswood Youth Center encourages our friends and neighbors to participate is this state-wide event and to consider making gifts to The KYC and/or other worthy non-profits.

Why support the KYC?  The KYC has been serving our community’s teens since May 24, 2000 and just celebrated their 20-year anniversary!  Programs give local youth safe and positive ways to spend their out-of-school time.  Programs teach life skills, promote fitness, expose teens to local attractions and natural places, dissuade substance misuse, and provide fun and meaningful community service opportunities.  All programs are free to Kingswood High School and Middle School students and include a hot meal.  Programs are offered after-school, in the evening, during school vacations, and in the summer.  A one-to-one mentoring program called Club 121 is offered at Kingswood Regional Middle School.

Amidst current school and business closures, the KYC has been working hard to provide support to the families of teens and to make ‘remote programs’ available to local youth.  Through a food/supplies distribution program, the KYC has provided local families with over 10,000 lbs. of food and essentials since late March.  KYC staff have worked to connect families with other important resources and have often delivered care packages when transportation is an issue for families.  KYC members have been connected with staff through social media engagement, group video conferencing, and more!

As slow steps are made to reopen New Hampshire, the KYC forecasts an increased demand for free programs, youth support, and socialization opportunities.  Increased uncertainty and challenges surrounding fundraising are also forecasted.  NH Gives represents a well-timed fundraising opportunity, which will help the KYC meet the community’s current and upcoming needs.

To learn more or to participate in the event on June 9-10 please visit www.nhgives.org/. 

Remote Programs

One of the many new ways we’ve been serving our teens is through virtually programs.  Using Google Hangouts, we’ve offered triva, buzzword, ‘at-home scavenger hunt,’ and bingo!  These programs have been a fun and safe way to serve our teens!

Weekly Care Packages Continue!

What a challenging and unusual month-and-a-half we have all had!  We are thinking about our many friends and community partners during these challenging times.  Everyone is impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic and everyone’s experience is a little different.  The KYC is working hard to help the families of KYC participants cope with their own unique challenges amidst COVID-19.

Each week KYC staff look forward to providing ‘care packages’ to KYC families.  This was our 6th week offering these services!  Each ‘care package’ weighs about 50 lbs. and contains groceries, household essentials, take-home activities, treats and more!

We want to say a big thank you to Granite United Way, the New Hampshire Food Bank, and many local donors!  Thank you Shelly for your weekly contribution of take-home science kits!  Thank you Diane for beautiful home-made baked goods and fresh bananas!  Thank you Estelle and Kevin for cookie dough and take-home meal kits!

Thank you to the Wolfetrap Grill and Raw Bar and El Centenario for the donation of family restaurant meals!