Our Blog
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!
Thank You New Hampshire Charitable
We would like to thank New Hampshire Charitable Foundation and the Bald Peak Community Fund for a recent grant for COVID-19 Crisis Support. This grant will go a long way in funding our mission to serve local youth.
Weekly Video Updates!
Check out our Facebook and/or Instagram pages for the KYC’s weekly video updates. These updates allow us to stay connected with our participants and the community as we navigate these challenging times. (below are just screen shots, so check out our social media to view!). https://www.facebook.com/thekyc.org/ Stay safe, healthy, and balanced!
COVID-19 Response
Like so many organizations, the KYC’s operations have dramatically changed owed to the current COVID-19 pandemic. Our response has three major facets: 1. first and foremost is the safety of our community members, staff, and other stakeholders; 2. we acknowledge that this is a challenging time for everyone, including the youth and families we serve and want to use our resources to provide safe and appropriate support; 3. we realize that following the pandemic, the demand for the KYC’s services is likely to increase and we are working to build capacity and improve our resources in preparation for meeting that demand.
Health and Safety:
- We have closed our facility and are not allowing the public to enter our building. Our outdoor rec equipment (playground) is also closed at this time.
- We have thoroughly disinfected our building, outdoor ‘high touch surfaces,’ and our bus.
- Staff members are serving the Center’s mission remotely when possible and are always practicing social distancing.
Supporting our Teens:
- Each Thursday between 3:00 and 6:00 PM, teens are encouraged to pick up ‘care packages,’ from the KYC’s covered porch. These packages weigh 30-50lbs and include groceries, household necessities, toiletries, treats, and more.
- Each Monday between 3:00 and 6:00 PM we host ‘call-in’ hours during which KYC members are encouraged to call to check in with staff members.
- Each week we are hosting a weekly contest, in which members can text or email in entries for a chance to win a prize.
- We are hosting virtual programs using video conferencing.
- We are releasing weekly videos to check in with our participants.
- We are constantly looking for other safe, healthy, and meaningful ways to support teens and their families.
Working Towards a Better Future:
- We are working to raise funds and to build capacity to meet the needs of teens in the aftermath of the pandemic. This includes building on our fundraising plans and further developing our programs.
- We are working to improve our facility, which just passed a 10 year anniversary! Our beautiful facility is ‘well loved,’ and we are working to ready it for many more years of fun and learning.
Prevention Wednesday!
Please check out this prevention video from our friend Eric from White Horse Recovery! Thanks Eric!
Weekly Care Packages!
We are so pleased that families of KYC participants have been taking advantage of our weekly care packages! These packages consist of groceries, toiletries, household essentials, activities and treats. Each package weighs about 20-30 lbs. and is free to the families of KYC participants. Packages may be picked up from the KYC’s covered porch between 3:00 and 6:00 PM each Thursday.
Some highlights from care packages: Ice cream and cones! Chicken and Turkeys! Toilet Paper! Homemade Take-Home Science Kits! Fresh Fruit and Veggies! So much more!
We hope this small favor makes these challenging times just a bit easier. Stay safe and healthy!
Missing Everyone!
What a disappointment it’s been to have to close our regular programs! That said, we are proud of our teens, families, and community members for adjusting to sudden changes and doing their parts to prevent the spread of COVID-19. During school closures, we are offering a series of ‘remote opportunities’ for our youth!
Call-in hours!-Each Monday, we encourage our teens to call (603) 273-6643 between 3:00 and 6:00 PM. We just want to say ‘hi,’ we promise we won’t talk your ear off!
Once a week, we’ll post a video message to our community.
Each week we will host a contest. You can text (603) 273-6643 or email info@thekyc.org with your submissions. Those who submit will be entered in a prize drawing and the winner will have a prize mailed to them! This week’s contest: submit a KYC appropriate joke! Have your joke in before Wednesday April 8.
Care Packages! Each Thursday, care packages will be available to KYCers and their families for pick up between 3:00 and 6:00 PM. They will consist of groceries, house hold necessities, and treats and can be picked up from our covered porch.
Please be safe and healthy and we’ll look forward to hearing from you soon!
Wishing you well!
Greetings KYCers and community members, we want to wish everyone well during these uncertain times. Our daily lives have quickly changed as we adapt to ‘social distancing’ and work as a community to end the spread of COVID-19. We realize that this is a very hard time for families who are coping with school and childcare closures, business closures and interruptions, shortages, and concern for loved ones. It is heart breaking to have to postpone so many of the KYC’s services at a time when service to our community is so important. In the coming weeks, we hope to find ways to support our members and families from afar when appropriate.
We are very proud of our youth members for their flexibility and courage in navigating these challenging times. We know that the process of acclimating to remote learning and other day-to-day challenges is an experience that will help prepare our students for their roles as our future leaders.
We wish everyone health, safety and overall wellness!