Last January, we said that 2020 would be the year of “Love Without Limits.” And it was.
In 2020, along with the rest of the world, we battled COVID-19. We saw the potential impact of pandemic isolation and fear on our youth, and pushed the limit to fight against that with minimal staff and minimal face time with the youth and the community.
To accomplish Love Without Limits, we did three keys things:
We developed new partnerships and cultivated old ones.
We identified areas we needed to grow and hired staff whose strengths could support these goals.
We paused old programs and created new ones in line with the youth’s personal goals.
Throughout the year, we have watched the youth flounder in situations that have them truly STUCK. This is so hard, especially when we recognize the incredible potential in them!
In 2021, we are seeking to address the issues that trap the youth in the Survive mindset, opening up opportunities for them to really Thrive.
Thrive will build on the existing foundation of relationships. At Why Not, youth are known, seen, heard, and appreciated. We say “I’m proud of you”, “That’s what I like about you!” and “I care about you.” And we mean it.
To nurture the Thrive mindset, we are starting some NEW things.
We are offering trauma-informed therapy right at Why Not!
We are referring youth to psychiatrists and following their case directly
We are holding “Deep groups” where conversations bridge into important areas of self-care, healing, and recover
We launched our revamped Leader in Training Program
We are exploring the role of the arts in healing. This includes building a NEW professional-level recording studio so the youth can share their stories through music, along with online guitar lessons and art club.
The truth is, we couldn’t Thrive without you, our extended community. Knowing you have our back empowers us to empower the youth. Together, let’s Thrive in 2021!
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