Summer just got a lot brighter for some of the country's most vulnerable kids. The Children and Family Services (CFS), in an effort to level the playing field for foster and kinship youth, is rebooting their summer camp program, giving kids a shot at the kind of summer fun typically featured in sun-drenched Instagram feeds.
Known as the Youth Enrichment and Engagement Program (YEEP), these camps aren't just your run-of-the-mill s'mores and campfire singalongs. The CFS, in partnership with Children’s Network, has brought back the program after a four-year pause, aiming to provide youngsters, aged 8 through 17, with a chance to dive into nature, form lasting friendships, and pick up skills that could last a lifetime. Struggling for years to find resources, the program finally offers foster and kinship youth self-confidence development through arts, sports, and team-building exercises, according to the official announcement.
This year's twist is expanding eligibility to include Kinship Center youth and the biological kids of caregivers. Throwing open the cabin doors to a wider circle of children not only gives the program's caregivers a well-deserved break but also aims to solidify the existing ties between foster youth and residential bio-kids. The move is a signal of inclusivity—assuring that no child, regardless of background, is sidelined in the summer fun. In addition to traditional camp experiences, YEEP now offers a variety of activities ranging from sports camps and STEM to music lessons and art classes.
Interested caregivers can mark their calendars as registration for YEEP opens on February 26th and runs through March 29th, 2024. For details, the assigned social worker of the youth is the go-to contact. Kinship Center families can get in touch with Ilyana Ortiz at A Greater Hope by dialing 760-221-9248, with Zoudensh Stewart at West Side Kinship Center at 909-889-5757, or Brigitte Shaw at West End Kinship Center. Coming as a beacon of hope, the program underscores the Board of Supervisors' commitment to enhancing the lives of foster youth and their caregivers, affording moments of joy and growth against the tougher backdrop of their everyday lives.
