Archive for March 2019

ION Bank gives $3,000 to support Urgent Client Needs for Homeless Youth

ION Bank Foundation Awards WYS $3000 for Urgent Client Needs for Homeless Youth

Population Served:  Low-income, at-risk youth ages 6-24.

Program: Homeless Youth Resource Center/Youth & Family Emergency Services (YFES)

Location of Population Served:  Greater Waterbury area.

Funds will support Urgent Client Needs for YFES Program, incling: bus passes for school/work/interviews, security deposits for housing, personal hygiene supplies, school training, and work supplies.

About YFES: Primary objective is to provide immediate crisis intervention and counseling services for Waterbury’s most at risk youth with the goals of decreasing the number ofyouth who run away, decreasing youth homeless population, provide SAFE PLACE sites around the community where youth can go to connect with needed services and decreasing need for DCF involvement.

No one can move on to a better lifestyle if they are constantly hungry, do not have the right clothes for an interview, have no money for transportation, no home for themselves  or for their children, etc. Urgent Client Needs is critical to the success of the YFES program.

Prom Project Boutique

Waterbury Youth Services’ Prom Project Boutique: More Than Just A Dress

Celebrating 21 Years of Making Dreams Come True

The Prom Project Boutique
83 Prospect St., Waterbury
Thursday, April 18th,  10am-2pm

This event is free and open to  any high school teen in need of prom attire.

Prom season is almost here.  To make that day as special as possible, Waterbury Youth Services wants offers free prom gowns, shoes, suits and accessories.

“Our Prom Project Boutique program is more than just giving away gowns and accessories,” says Deanna Krzykowksi, WYS’ Prom Project Leader. We empower teens and build their confidence by taking away the financial barriers to participate in this iconic high school experience.”

WYS’s Prom Project Boutique is bursting at the seams with beautiful dresses and suits of all designs and sizes.  All of WYS’ prom attire and accessories will be offered free of charge thanks to the generous donations of formal ware from local bridal shops, businesses and individuals in the community. WYS’ boutique like atmosphere will be set up with personal shoppers and mirrors to assist students in picking their dresses and suits. WYS will also have a vendor area complete with shoes, accessories, and hair and make-up tips.

There are a limited number of registrations available for April 18th. Interested teens can sign up here.

For teens unable to attend the April 18th event, WYS will offer the following Prom Project Boutique hours:

April 22- May 20
Mondays 2:30pm-4:30pm
Tuesdays 3:00pm-5pm.

This is the second year all students (not just girls) are invited to participate in Prom Project Boutique.  WYS was the first organization to host a Prom Project event in the Greater Waterbury  area in 1998.  Since then, WYS has served thousands of teens, ensuring they don’t miss out on high school’s most formal dance.

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Jewish Federation of Western Connecticut Supports Truancy Program

Jewish Federation of Western Connecticut Awards WYS $7500 for Truancy Prevention and Counseling Program

Population Served:  Waterbury youth attending public Elementary, Middle and High School students from all ethnic backgrounds, both male and female, serving the most vulnerable at-risk, low-income population.
Location of Population Served: Greater Waterbury Area.

Truancy is a critical issue in Waterbury’s public schools. Bridge to Success, a community collaborative operating within Waterbury, found that only 67% of Waterbury youth graduate from High School on time compared to 86% across the remainder of Connecticut. In addition, Waterbury has the fifth highest drop-out rate (about 30%) in the state.

WYS’s Truancy Prevention and Counseling Program meets an urgent community need by addressing the reasons for absenteeism and helping youth and their families address the barriers keeping them from regular school attendance, thereby increasing the chance of successful graduation from high school and a chance at becoming solid members of their communities.

The WYS program conducts an initial assessment with the family immediately after receipt of the referral. This takes place in either the family’s home or in the WYS office at a time that is convenient for the family and all pertinent forms/HIPPA are signed at this time. Barriers to school attendance are explored and the family is provided case management to address these barriers through specific steps. A step could be as simple as reminders to parents to set the alarm clock regularly, or to make sure the youth gets to bed by 10:00 p.m. each night, or as complex as identifying and working with issues such as peer pressure and bullying. Case management also includes monitoring the student’s attendance and school performance while maintaining contact with the family, school and other providers, connecting the family with needed services, communicating with school personnel and other involved collateral contacts, attending meetings at school when indicated, and monitoring attendance and the need for more case management. The referral source and school personnel are kept up to date on the youth’s progress in the program and referrals that have been made for the family.

Truanc referrals made by: Waterbury Schools
Program: September 1st through June 30th. May include summer activities. Services are provided Monday through Friday for home and office visits and also utilizes non-traditional hours.