With your incredible support and donations, this holiday season was an amazing time at YouthCare! For homeless young people this time of year can be lonely and difficult, but festive celebrations provide them with a sense of community and family during the holiday season.

Thanks to your generosity, nearly 100 youth were able to enjoy a delicious holiday meal, open presents, and celebrate with their friends and family at YouthCare during the annual holiday party at YouthCare’s James W. Ray Orion Center. Two young women celebrating their first American holiday season were brought to tears upon opening gifts personally selected for them. Many more were absolutely thrilled to open a gift of the perfect sweater, pair of jeans, or a special pair of boots.

Across our programs, we were able to distribute over 700 gifts of specific holiday wishes to young people. Many youth were able to enjoy Chanukah gifts chosen just for them, and many more woke up on Christmas morning to the opportunity to open gifts of items that they’ve been wishing for.

So often our youth are forced to think in terms of what they need to survive. Thanks to you and YouthCare, they get to think about what they want for the holidays. Your kindness shows them they are cared about, now and throughout the year.