Venture Description: Youth Together's goal is to engage young people in community service to help abused, homeless and ill children. Youth Together is a 501c3 non-profit organization that works with elementary and middle school student councils, Students Thinking of People and Peer Assistance and Leadership programs to help homeless, abused, and critically ill children as well as homeless animals and the Dallas Zoo. We offer eight different projects in which these student organizations can participate. Youth Together provides the youth of the today the tools to become the community service leaders of tomorrow.

Venture Origin: When I was in fourth grade, I was abused by a teacher. Her class consisted of yelling at children to break their spirits. One day, I was playing with sticks when it wasn't "playing with sticks time". She got angry and threw me into a chair hurting my neck. I decided that I wanted to help abused children and Youth Together was born.

Innovation: Youth Together provides flyers, display boards, deliver donations and gift bags. Youth Together is run by kids for kids. Elementary and schools run the programs while high school students make gift bags, signs and deliver donations to area organizations. Even the state student council websites don't offer as many projects as we do. We help chldren in the communities that we serv

Impact

Impact: Our biggest impact - we have made $70,000 on a budget of $800 while getting 50,000 students in 2 states involved in community service. We chose to do a project here in our own communities because we feel that there are children in need in our own backyard. We wanted to teach our students what it feels like to help others so they will be involved as adults. We also will be involving middle/high students in a community service grant program.

Engagement with the community: Youth Together has taught over 50,000 children about community service. We have run projects in 20 different cities in Texas and New Mexico. We have donated to the Children's Advocacy Center (abuse), the Samaritan Inn (homeless), Presbyterian Hospital (ill), Make a Wish Foundation, Hopes Door (shelter), Operation Kindness(animal shelter) , Raised by Wolves, Inc. and the Dallas Zoo.

Impact and engagement progress since launch: Youth Together's goal is to engage young people in community service. We have done projects in 70 schools since its inception and raised $70,000 for non-profit organizations that help children. We try to always give something back to the children that donate by giving them a note or gift bag. Someday, we hope this will make a difference and they will want to give back as adults.

Impact and engagement strategy: We have expanded our projects this year by adding three new programs. We, also, have started a grant program in North Texas. We will be giving grants to youth 12-18 to start community service projects in February. We have enlisted United State Senator John Cornyn, State Senator Florence Shapiro and Mayor Pat Evans to help us disperse funds to the finalists.

Awards: Daily Points of Light Prudential Spirit Award Kohl's Kids Who Care Store/Regional Middlekauf Ford Special Drive President's Volunteer Award

Budget

Amount of Youth Venture seed grant: $800.00

Money raised: We have raised $70,000 for area organizations . We received $500.00 for Youth Together from the North Texas Volunteer Center PCH Inc. - $1,000 Parkway Bank - $1.000 Plano West - $1,000.00

Creative ways of raising resources: We have approached area organizations to donate money to Youth Together. We have had stocking drives, sponsorship programs, and change drives, to secure money. I have even asked teachers at area high schools to donate money for the homeless by sending an email to all the teachers.

Strategy

Expansion plan for next 6 months: We already expanded our program with three new projects. We will be giving out our first grants for community service projects in January. Next fall, we will be expanding Youth Together into Oklahoma.

Plans for sustaining the project: I will continue as President of Youth Together. I have never had trouble finding team members. Volunteers are easy as we had 96 kids call us over spring break last year wanting to do service projects. As far as funding, we just ask for help for help from area organizations. They are willing.

Vision for three years from now: Our goals for the next three years would be to expand this project into more states. I believe that our program can work in any town to help their abused, homeless and ill children. I am hoping to prove that we can make community service easy for schools. By word of mouth, we just keep getting bigger. Our future goal would be to top the $100,000 mark.

Project impact: Youth Together has taught youth about community service while helping homeless, abused and ill children in two states. We offer eight different projects: Plano Pals - Children supply costumes and treat bags for Halloween, Christmas stockings with gift cards for coats and other necessities, and Easter baskets for homeless children staying at the Samaritan Inn. They can write a note to their Plano Pal and they will receive a note back from their Pal thanking them for their donation. Operation Backpack - This project works with the Children's Advocacy Center to provide backpacks and school supplies to abused and neglected children who have to leave their homes without anything. Kids Flick and Games - Children donate movies and board games to the Plano Presbyterian Hospital for sick children. Operation Paws - Through Operation Kindness, a no-kill animal shelter, each child sponsors a homeless animal and receives a bio, a picture, and a gift bag. Participants are also invited to a party to learn about animal shelters. Kids Wish for Kids - Through the Make-A-Wish Foundation of North Texas, each student selects a critically ill child and donates $10 towards that child's gift. In return, the student receives a star box with a picture and bio about the child. Grin and Bear It Students donate $10 for bags filled with a stuffed bear,coloring book, storybook and stickers, which are given to young patients while they wait for their operations. The students also received a bear to thank them for their donations. Zooper Troopers - This project works with the Dallas Zoo. Each child donates $10 and receives a gift bag with a picture and bio about the animal that they have chosen to sponsor. They are invited to the zoo to a party to meet and greet their animal. Operation Bookworm - High school students are paired with at risk elementary school students. They read books together to teach the young readers to enjoy books. At the end of the program, there is a party where each child will receive their own book. Starlight, Starbright - Students donate $10 towards laptops to be put in area hospitals for critically ill children. These children can talk with other children about their illnesses on a website made specifically for this purpose. Through these programs we have raised $70,000. A unifying characteristic of these projects is that each revolves around kids helping other kids as a way of teaching youngsters the value of helping others. Each participant receives something tangible back for his contribution, such as a small gift bag or a personal note. We have made it simple for student organizations to run community service programs that will benefit their students. We supply flyers, display board and instructions on how to run each program. Youth Together makes gift bags and gift boxes for area children. We then pick up their donations and take it to the organization. This involves trucks of supplies being taken to organizations. We make the gift bags and star boxes as well as any personal notes, posters or thank yous to give to the students who donated. All of these items are made by middle school or high school students. Youth Together makes life easier by helping youth in the community that need help and teaching children that it is their responsibility to help their community. We have begun a grant program that will further help other students begin their own community service projects as well. We hope that our enthusiastic service to others will continue to grow and multiply with Youth Together.

Youth Venture movement - what it means and how you can contribute: I have really enjoyed being involved in the Youth Venture Movement. They have always been there to help me whenever I have needed information. They didn't just give me a grant and I never heard from them again. They have helped me find grants, scholarships and even helped me fill out applications. I have been privileged to learn from many of the staff at Youth Venture. I always get an answer to any question with which I need help. Youth Venture is building a new website which will help all Venturers get more involved. I am trying to help Youth Venture with their website building now. I would like to see Youth Venture becoming more visible to the education system of this country. I also, would like to lobby in Washington to promote mandatory community service through our schools as a Youth Venturer. I am in talks with John Cornyn, our United States senator right now, about that possiblility. Communities need to realize that even though National Honor Society promotes volunteer hours, elementary and middle school children are being lost. We need to utilize the youth we have in our communities. Youth Venture could be the catalyst to make community service a responsibilty for each citizen of this country. Think of all the problems we could solve if we banded together to help one another.

Author:
Kyle
United States