Eden Youth Center Inc

EDEN YOUTH AND FAMILY CENTER IS A 501(C)3 NONPROFIT FOUNDED IN 1977 WITH A MISSION TO PROVIDE AND SUPPORT A COMPREHENSIVE ARRAY OF SERVICES AND ADVOCACY FOR CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES OF THE CITY OF HAYWARD AND THE UNINCORPORATED EDEN AREA OF ALAMEDA COUNTY, ENHANCING THE ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, EDUCATIONAL, AND HEALTHY WELL-BEING OF THE COMMUNITY. THE CENTER'S GOAL IS TO ENSURE EACH YOUNG PERSON HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP HIS/PER FULL POTENTIAL TO BECOME A PRODUCTIVE HEALTHY ADULT.

DRUG-FREE COMMUNITIES SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION PROGRAMS - THE HAYWARD COALITION FOR HEALTHY YOUTH (HCHY) COALITION WORKS IN COLLABORATION WITH A MINIMUM OF 30 ADULTS FROM NUMEROUS SECTORS TO 1) REDUCE SUBSTANCE ABUSE AMONG YOUTH IN HAYWARD, AND OVER TIME, AMONG ADULTS BY ADDRESSING THE FACTORS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT INCREASE THE RISK OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND PROMOTING THE FACTORS THAT MINIMIZE THE RISK OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE; AND 2) ESTABLISH AND STRENGTHEN THE COLLABORATION AMONG HAYWARD'S NON-PROFIT AGENCIES, FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, SCHOOLS, LAW ENFORCEMENT TO SUPPORT EFFORTS TO PREVENT AND REDUCE SUBSTANCE ABUSE AMONG YOUTH. HCHY'S YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL (YAC) IS MADE UP OF APPROXIMATELY TWENTY (20) YOUTH BETWEEN THE AGES OF 12 AND 18. HCHY'S YAC FOCUSES ON YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNITY MOBILIZATION, COMMUNITY ADVOCACY AND STRATEGIES FOR POLICY CHANGE. HCHY AND YAC DISSEMINATED INFORMATION TO OVER 10,000 COMMUNITY MEMBERS AT COMMUNITY EVENTS, VIA SOCIAL MEDIA AND ONLINE CAMPAIGNS. YAC WAS ON THE FOREFRONT ADVOCATING FOR A COMPLETE BAN OF FLAVORED TOBACCO AND VAPING/E-CIGARETTES. AS A RESULT OF THEIR EFFORTS, TOBACCO RETAIL LICENSE ORDINANCES PASSED BANNING FLAVORED TOBACCO INCLUDING MINIMUM PRICE FLOOR AND PACK-SIZE IN HAYWARD AND THE UNINCORPORATED ALAMEDA COUNTY. YAC CONTINUED ITS WORK THROUGHOUT ALAMEDA COUNTY TO STRENGTHEN THE LOCAL TOBACCO RETAIL LICENSE ORDINANCES. YAC WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN SUPPORTING AND ADVOCATING FOR SB 793, SIGNED BY GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM THAT BANS THE SALE OF FLAVORED TOBACCO PRODUCTS IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.DURING THE SUMMER OF 2021, THE YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL (YAC) ADVOCATED TO EXPAND ITS FAMILIA ADELANTE CURRICULUM, WHICH TEACHES COPING SKILLS, SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION, AND HARM REDUCTION TO MIDDLE SCHOOLS IN SOUTH HAYWARD. IN THE FALL AND SPRING SEMESTER OF THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2020-21, EYFC CONDUCTED A PILOT PROGRAM OF FAMILIA ADELANTE AT TENNYSON HIGH SCHOOL SERVING 134 NINTH GRADE HEALTH CLASS STUDENTS. THE PROGRAM IS CURRENTLY SERVING 232 NEW STUDENTS IN SEVENTH GRADE SCIENCE CLASSES ONCE A WEEK FOR TWELVE (12) SESSIONS FROM SEPTEMBER - DECEMBER 2021, WHICH IS A 43% INCREASE OVER LAST YEAR. EYFC WILL LEVERAGE PERSONNEL TO EXPAND THE PROGRAM IN THE WINTER/SPRING OF 2022 SEMESTER REACHING OVER 500 STUDENTS. COMPARED TO THIS TIME LAST YEAR, WE HAVE DOUBLED OUR STAFF AS WELL AS THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS SERVED. THE PROGRAM IS REGARDED BY HUSD STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND ADMINISTRATORS AS A HUGE SUCCESS.

AT-RISK YOUTH PROGRAMS EDEN COMPUTER CLUBHOUSE - NOW CELEBRATING ITS 20TH ANNIVERSARY, THE CLUBHOUSE AT EDEN YOUTH AND FAMILY CENTER (EYFC) CONSISTENTLY PROVIDES A VARIETY OF MENTORED PROGRAMMING FOR HAYWARD AND ALAMEDA COUNTY YOUTH, IMBEDDING MENTORSHIP AS A CRITICAL ELEMENT OF ITS MISSION "TO SERVE AS A HUB FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO EXPLORE THEIR CREATIVITY AND EXPAND THEIR SKILL-SET THROUGH TECHNOLOGY WITH THE HELP OF THEIR PEERS AND MENTORS." STAFF CONTRIBUTES DECADES OF EXPERIENCE, AND AN AMAZING NETWORK OF VOLUNTEERS PROVIDES THE ONE-ON-ONE AND GROUP MENTORING PROVEN TO SUPPORT LONG-TERM SUCCESS. THIS PROGRAM AIMS TO PROVIDE A CREATIVE AND SAFE OUT-OF-SCHOOL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT WHERE OVER 200 STUDENTS AND AT-RISK YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS WORK WITH ADULT AND PEER-TO-PEER MENTORS TO EXPLORE THEIR OWN IDEAS, DEVELOP NEW SKILLS, AND BUILD CONFIDENCE IN THEMSELVES THROUGH THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY. OUR SPECIFIC GOALS ARE CULTURALLY RELEVANT, LOCALLY-BASED, AND REFLECT THOSE OF THE INTERNATIONAL CLUBHOUSE NETWORK, INCLUDING:- ENSURING CLUBHOUSE YOUTH ARE COMFORTABLE WITH TECHNOLOGY AND PROFICIENT IN EXPRESSING THEMSELVES THROUGH DIGITAL TOOLS- CREATING POSITIVE ATTITUDES TOWARD LEARNING AND INCREASED INTEREST IN SCHOLASTIC ACTIVITIES- ACHIEVING GENUINE AMBITION FOR TECHNOLOGY-RELATED CAREERS YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS - YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM PROVIDES THIRTY (30) PROBATION AND AT-RISK/AT-PROMISE YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS WITH SOFT SKILLS, JOB READINESS AND RETENTION, WORK EXPERIENCE, EDUCATION SUPPORT INCLUDING JOB AND COLLEGE, DIGITAL LITERACY TRAINING, CAREER PREPARATION, AND LIFE-SKILLS SERVICES. YOUTH RECEIVE COMPREHENSIVE, SEAMLESS, WRAP-AROUND SERVICES DESIGNED TO 1) DEVELOP JOB READINESS, JOB SEARCH AND EMPLOYMENT RETENTION SKILLS; 2) OBTAIN CAREER INFORMATION ON SPECIALIZED FIELDS THAT MATCH THEIR INTERESTS AND APTITUDES; 3) EARN MONEY FOR WORK EXPERIENCE, EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS; 4) EXPERIENCE FINANCIALS INDEPENDENCE, AND LEARN AND PRACTICE MONEY MANAGEMENT; 5) ACHIEVE A SENSE OF SELF-WORTH AND SELF-ESTEEM. UNHOUSED FAMILY SUPPORT - BRINGING EQUITY TO UNHOUSED FAMILIES IN SOUTH HAYWARD: EDEN YOUTH AND FAMILY CENTER WAS APPROACHED BY UNHOUSED COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND KEY COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS. SEEING A SIGNIFICANT NEED TO SUPPORT UNHOUSED FAMILIES, WE WORKED WITH OUR PARTNERS FROM THE HAYWARD PROMISE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE CITY OF HAYWARD LIBRARY TO HIGHLIGHT THE NEED RESULTING IN SPONSORSHIP OF THE INITIATIVE.THE ISSUE: MANY FAMILIES IN SOUTH HAYWARD ARE VEHICLE RESIDENTS AND/OR EXPERIENCING UNSTABLE HOUSING. WE WERE ADVISED FAMILIES WERE IN NEED OF POWER INVERTERS TO CHARGE ELECTRONICS, POWER CHROMEBOOKS, AND COOK HEALTHY FOOD FOR THEIR FAMILIES. OUR EYES WERE OPENED WHEN WE LEARNED THAT WITHOUT POWER, FAMILIES COULD NOT COOK MUCH OF THE FOOD DISTRIBUTED AT FOOD PANTRIES. EYFC REACHED OUT TO OUR PARTNERS/SPONSORS TO SOLICIT DONATIONS AND FUNDS TO PURCHASE POWER INVERTERS AND CROCKPOTS FOR 123 UNHOUSED FAMILIES. IN ADDITION, WE PURCHASED AND SOLICITED DONATIONS FOR ITEMS TO CREATE 144 WINTER WARMING KITS THAT INCLUDED BEANIES, WARM GLOVES, SOCKS, AND OTHER ITEMS. WE ALSO REACHED OUT TO COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO GATHER DONATED CLOTHING. THE COH LIBRARY PROVIDED BACKPACKS STUFFED WITH SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND RESOURCES. THIS WAS A REWARDING PROJECT FOR ALL INVOLVED.

COVID-19 RESPONSE EYFC'S COVID-19 PROJECTS AIMED TO INTERRUPT CHAINS OF TRANSMISSION BY HELPING TO ENSURE THE SAFE AND EFFECTIVE QUARANTINE OF POTENTIAL CONTACTS, SLOWING THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS. EYFC PROVIDED TARGETED COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND HEALTH EDUCATION TO RESIDENTS OF SOUTH HAYWARD FOCUSED ON ENGAGING WITH COUNTY CONTACT TRACING/CONTACT INVESTIGATION TEAMS AND COVID-RELATED HEALTH PREVENTION MESSAGING. EYFC'S OUTREACH TEAM SERVED AS COMMUNITY EDUCATORS TO ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AND GIVE PEOPLE THE CONFIDENCE IN THE IMPORTANCE OF BECOMING VACCINATED. IN ADDITION, EYFC PROVIDED FOR THE ASSEMBLY AND DISTRIBUTION OF CARE KITS TO SUPPORT HOUSEHOLDS IN SUCCESSFULLY ISOLATING AND/OR QUARANTINING ACCORDING TO CURRENT HEALTH OFFICER ORDERS.

FAMILY CENTER COMMUNITY CENTER MANAGEMENT - SINCE 1977, EDEN YOUTH AND FAMILY CENTER (EYFC) HAS BEEN THE SOLE RESPONSIBLE PARTY FOR OPERATIONS, FACILITY MANAGEMENT, MAINTENANCE AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE MULTISERVICE FAMILY CENTER. FOR 45 YEARS, EYFC HAS PARTNERED WITH DOZENS OF NONPROFITS AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES COMMITTED TO IMPROVING THE HEALTH AND WELFARE OF SOUTH HAYWARD RESIDENTS, WHILE FACILITATING NECESSARY IMPROVEMENTS AND MAINTAINING MINIMAL TENANT RENTAL EXPENSES AT AN AGING FACILITY IN AN UNDERSERVED AREA OF THE COMMUNITY.