Think back to all the fun memories you had as a child during the summertime—playing and learning about the outdoors, going on adventures, and spending time with family and friends.
While many of us have positive childhood memories, there are youth in our community who have traumatic memories stemming from abuse and neglect.
Neglect is the #1 reason children are removed from their homes followed by parental drug use, and according to the American Society for the Positive Care of Children, foster children usually enter the foster care system due to abuse and trauma in their home.
This displacement causes a unique set of emotional, social and academic challenges for them. They often experience grief, guilt, anger, sadness, loneliness, anxiety, low self-esteem, mental and physical health issues.
Unity Care’s Summer of Learning program gives our most vulnerable at-risk, underserved youth the opportunity to experience summertime traditions, which will help establish positive behaviors and build lasting relationships.
Since 2000, we have created opportunities for youth and families to participate in rewarding and meaningful educational and outdoor summertime traditions.
An exciting camping trip or exploring a college campus can transform a vulnerable youth’s behaviors, and create memorable experiences to last a lifetime.
The numerous benefits of our Summer of Learning program include:
• Connects youth to the outdoors, nature, and the environment: Experiencing the outdoors includes camping, a barbecue on the beach or a visit to a National Park.
• Promotes learning while increasing knowledge of post-secondary education and tech careers: we know than less than half of foster youth will graduate from high school and only 3% will graduate from college, so it’s critical to expose our youth to higher education and career opportunities, so that they can set goals and stay focused on their future.
• Engages youth in fun physical and social activities promotes positive connections: Trips to amusement parks helps our young people builds lasting relationships with peers and mentors.
Examples of activities in our Summer of Learning are:
• A Camping Trip
• A Visit to a Museum
• Creative Arts
• College or Career Tours
• Community Service Projects
• Outdoor Activities — Whitewater Rafting, BBQs, and more!
We need your help! By joining our efforts, you can ensure that every one of our foster youth will have a wonderful time during summer.
Donate towards a camping trip, visit to a museum, or an amusement park and improve a foster youth’s life! For more information on how you can make an impact, please contact us at unitycare.org or 408.971.9822.
Your collaboration matters!
