Youth Support Association The Youth Support Association, YSA is currently conducting its annual fundraising campaign, in an effort to provide continuous service to the youth of the Antelope Valley. YSA is a non-profit 501(c) 3 corporation, which has been offering friendly and confidential phone services for children who are home alone and teens that need to talk to their peers. Our PhoneFriend program has been operating for fifteen years and Teen Talk is in its eighth year of operation. PhoneFriend, the after school help line for children K-8th grade operates Monday - Friday from 2:30 to 6:30 PM. Trained volunteers from fifteen to ninety-five years of age answer calls from children who just want to talk, to pass the time with a short story or joke, need homework help, and assistance with minor mishaps like spilled juice or skinned knees. PhoneFriend has fielded over 19,320 calls, with volunteers donating over 12,960 hours. PhoneFriend offers shut in senior citizens the opportunity to volunteer through call forwarding. This accommodation allows them to stay connected with young people from their own homes. In return young people gain a new perspective through interaction with an older generation. Teen Talk Line provides a confidential and supportive atmosphere where teens can talk to other teens, Monday – Friday from 6:30 – 8:30 PM. Based on the concept of peer helpers, teens learn to solve their own problems. Clients are provided comfort, encouragement, mentoring and are made aware of community resources when referrals are needed. Volunteers learn communication skills, they meet fellow teens with various backgrounds while participating in a safe activity. Teen Talk Line has answered over 10,742 calls, with volunteers donating over 4,525 hours. We are currently developing two new components to our current services: a televised literacy program and the completion of a sound/recording studio for an after school music program. Our phone lines and web site www.avysa.org will act as tutorial support services for the televised literacy program. Currently we host monthly rehearsals for the Young Amateur Musicians Association lead by local probation officers. Our after school music program is an outgrowth of this long time association. Youth in our community are under served; therefore our service is unique, because no one else provides after school support or teen peer-helping through a phone service where youth can call for peace of mind and safety. Mental health services are not sufficient to meet the needs of youth and their families due to the rapid population growth and recent budget cuts suffered state wide. The Antelope Valley is the last open space for housing development in northern Los Angeles County and so it will continue to grow at a more rapid rate producing more latch-key children and leaving agencies unable to keep up with service demand. YSA maintains an agreement with Lancaster United Methodist Church, to provide office space, utilities and access to office machines. Funding comes from churches, collaborative grants with other agencies, Los Angeles County, foundations, fundraising, local clubs, businesses and individuals. Your support will help us sustain current services and enable us to continue our development plan, reaching more youth with two new expansion projects. YSA requires funding and volunteers to continue providing such services. We need you to help us maintain our momentum by supporting our annual fund raising campaign. Please consider participating in one of the following ways: by making an annual pledge, a one time donation, Adopt-a-phone-call, attend a fundraising event or as a volunteer. See below for ways you can help Youth Support Association provide the resources essential for the Antelope Valley’s youth and their families. Sincerely; YSA - “We Share in the Solutions” People who share a common direction and sense of community providing programs based on research and education for identified issues which threaten quality of life for youth and their families. Providing comfort, encouragement and an environment to improve their day-to-day existence. YSA is a non-profit PUBLIC BENEFIT CORPORATION and is not organized for the private gain of any person. It is organized under the Non-profit Public Benefit Corporation Law for PUBLIC AND CHARITABLE purposes.
Donations to the Antelope Valley YSA help lines are tax-deductible
Donations: (Through PayPal) Every Dollar Counts! Uncomfortable using PayPal? Mail checks payable to YSA at 918 West Ave. J, Lancaster, CA 93534
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