December 2015

December 2015
Volume 12, Issue 12
The YouthHope
Post
Shoes for Christmas, Hope for a Lifetime
Inside this Issue:
Christmas Shoes
1
Almost Open House
1
Youth Story
2
Shop Local
2
Founder’s Note
2
To donate, go to
Www.youthhope.org
Or send donations
to P.o. box 7803
Redlands, ca 92375
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR
DONORS WHO HAVE
CONTRIBUTED $10,000
OR MORE IN 2014

United Mission Workers
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We have close to 300 pairs of shoes to distribute to our youth this Christmas. We cannot do this without your
help and the help of our community. If you have not already purchased a pair of shoes, make sure to stop at
The Agency Board shop located at 33527 Yucaipa Blvd, Yucaipa, CA 92399. Each pair that you buy goes to
a youth who have worn the same pair of shoes for years, a youth who walks miles a day to get to school,
work, and back home, a youth who hasn’t received a gift in years because they have been told that they
“aren't worth it”. Let’s show these youth how important they are, how much they are cared for, and how
bright their future is. Email Monica at monica@youthhope.org if you have any questions.
There are several ways to make sure a youth receives a pair of shoes this Christmas:
Stop by YouthHope Mondays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays 3:00-6:00 pm and pick
up a shoe card.
Take that card to The Agency Boardshop and purchase
the shoes.
Drop shoes off at Christ The
King Lutheran Church Preschool Office located at
1505 Ford Street Redlands,
CA
Go directly to The Agency Boardshop and tell the
cashier that you would
like to purchase shoes for
YouthHope.
Drop shoes off at Christ
The King Lutheran
Church Preschool Office
Monday-Friday 8:30-4:30
located at 1505 Ford
Street Redlands, CA
Donate money and we will
purchase the shoes for you.
You can mail in a check to
P.O. Box 7803 Redlands, CA
92375
You can drop off money at
YouthHope Monday,
Wednesday, Thursday 3:006:00 pm
You can donate at
www.youthhope.org/donate
Evans & Co. Salon
All Shoes must be purchased and dropped off by December 10th!
Redlands rotary Sunrise
Kiwanis of Redlands (noon)
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We are a few short weeks away from our annual Christmas Party! The holidays are such a hard time for our
youth. It is another reminder that many of them don’t have families to go home to, presents to open, or a
nice warm dinner to eat. This is why we make YouthHope’s Christmas party happen. We want our youth to
know how much they are loved and cared for. We give each youth a pair of shoes because this may be the
only gift they receive.
Loma Linda University
Health, Community Health
Development Office
Rita Shaw Broker and
Associates
YouthHope’s Almost Open House
November was a great month for YouthHope. Our Almost Open House was a HUGE success. It was
great to see so many people from our community come out and support YouthHope. We place thermometers around the building representing each item needed for our kitchen. As we saw those thermometers rise with each check written, we saw our drop in center getting closer and closer to being
done. A huge THANK YOU to all who have supported in some way to our drop in center. We would not
be where we are without your support.
The day after the Almost Open House, we opened up the Drop in Center to our youth. The look on the
youth’s faces when they walked in was utter amazement. These youth could not believe that people in
the community cared about them enough to provide a safe place for them to get help, get fed, and
loved. We heard different youth say “wait, this is for us? Why would people want to help us?”. Another
said “ I cant believe that we get to hang out in here and call this place our own”. This community that
we get to be apart of has made a difference in our youth. They know that people are behind them,
believing that they can become self-sufficient. So thank you, thank you, thank you!
Page 2
THE YOUTHOPE POST
Volume 12, Issue 12
The shoes that traveled 900 miles. A true story of how a pair of shoes helped a youth in need.
My favorite Christmas memory? It was 2
years ago at the best Christmas Party
that I have been to. Actually, it’s the only
Christmas party I’ve been invited to. Unless you count the parties where my dad
gets so drunk and starts hitting my mom
and I. I wouldn't really call that a party
though. After I left my parents house a
few years ago because of the abuse that
I had endured for years, I found YouthHope. Some of my street buddies took
me to YouthHope and introduced me to
Heidi. Right away I felt loved. I felt cared
for. I felt wanted. I hadn't ever felt those
feelings. I came to YouthHope mainly for
the food and the encouragement that I
received. After all, sleeping on the
streets requires many sleepless, foodless nights. I started regularly going to
YouthHope in November. After a few
weeks, the volunteers were asking for
our shoe sizes. I wasn't quite sure what
was going on, but I knew it had to be
good especially since the shoes I had on
were two sizes too small and my toes
were coming out the front. I got in line to
give them my shoe size and they told me
about a Christmas Party that was going
to be happening in December where I
would receive a brand new pair of shoes.
Wow! I was so excited! I thought this
must be what children feel as they wait
for Santa Clause to bring their gifts.
On the day of the Christmas party, I arrived to YouthHope and thought I had to
be in the wrong place. There were tables
decorated, centerpieces, brand new
clothes, wrapped shoes, and food. Oh
the smell of the food. Turkey, mashed
potatoes, corn...it smelled delicious! I
had so much fun at the party with my
buddies. We ate and ate and ate, Heidi
read us a Christmas book, and we each
received our shoes that fit perfectly! My
feet had never been so happy.
Now, I didn’t last long in Redlands. I was
on a mission to find a new home where I
could start my life over and not worry
about my parents finding me. I’ve traveled and now live in Oregon. I’m still on
Shop local
As you are holiday shopping, stop
by Nectar Clothing located at 12
E. State Street. They are selling
necklaces in the month of
December and 100% of the
proceeds go to YouthHope. Let’s
support local stores as they
my mission to find a new home. I go to
the local shelters for food and a warm
place to stay. Its not much and I hope I’m
not here for much longer, but you know
what has helped me this far? The shoes
from YouthHope. Yep, I’m still wearing
those Christmas shoes. Ya they have
duct tape on them and there are several
tears, but on the days where I feel like
there is no hope for me, when I feel like
no one cares, I just look down and remember YouthHope. They cared for me.
They loved me. They gave me hope. I
will always remember them and hope
that someday I can buy a new pair of
shoes for someone in need because a
simple act of buying shoes can be the
only hope someone holds on to.
Drop In Needs
If you did not get a chance to
come to our Almost Open House
and would like to donate, we still
are in need of funds for various
kitchen items. You can donate at
www.youthhope.org/donate
support our youth!
A Note From the Founder
I am still overjoyed over the
support that we received from
our community at our Almost
Open House. I think one of our
youth said it best when he said
“I cant believe that there are
people that have so much faith
in me to succeed in life that
they would be willing to help
build this center for us”. It takes
a whole city to raise our youth
and our Drop In Center is the
result of everyone coming together to create a safe place
for our youth. Thank you! This
type of support is not evident in
many places, yet our community is filled with people who are
willing to make a difference.
How blessed we are!
Please remember our youth
through the Christmas season.
It is a tough time for many as
they will not have a safe place
to sleep or have a hot meal to
eat with family.
We are looking forward to our
annual Christmas Party where
we will be handing out close to
300 pairs of shoes! Thank you
to all who have bought shoes
or have donated towards our
shoe drive. These shoes are
going to bring so many smiles
to our youth this Christmas!
As 2015 comes to a end,
please remember YouthHope.
We are a nonprofit 501(c)3 and
all of your donations are tax
deductible. YouthHope would
greatly benefit from your help
and would directly impact our
youth.