Blog

Children and youth hold a special place in Lorain County United Way's mission. The number and types of services, which we fund, speak to how much their care, development, and safety are valued:

• American Red Cross Lorain County Chapter's Youth Health & Safety Services
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lorain County's Site & School Based Mentoring
• Boys and Girls Club of Lorain County's Core Youth Program
• Catholic Charities Services of Lorain County's Adoption/Birth Parent/Foster Care Services
• Common Ground's Mural Arts Program
• El Centro de Servicios Sociales' Youth Leadership Program
• Heart of Ohio Council, Boy Scouts of America's and Girl Scouts of North East Ohio's Youth Development Programs
• Neighborhood Houses's Child Care Program
• Nord Center's Kidz First Program
• Save our Children's After School and Summer Youth Programs

To that list could be added other services whose purpose is to keep children safe and secure, or which provide family crisis intervention, or which strengthen families and assist in meaningful childhood development.

How important are children and youth to us? Very! In many ways, we are the voice of needy youngsters. Youngsters, whose service numbers are escalating even beyond those of adults. And if the services we are funding for their parents are considered critical--which they are--then the children services we are funding are all the more so because they are more vulnerable or have their own set of needs.

Talking to children who are benefiting from having an adult as a Big Brother or Big Sister will confirm that. When I speak to program participants, the positive affect this mentoring program is having can be seen in improved school grades, positive behaviors and attitudes, and are mirrored in the kids' smiles and comments. They use such terms as "my best friend", "someone who really listens", "my role model". Those are some special descriptors, indeed.

Ditto goes for the boys and girls being served at Save Our Children. United Way's fund distribution volunteers, who conduct site visits at this program, refer to this program as a gem because of what is accomplished with project participants. Outcomes seen in program participants best tell the story:

Participants display academic improvement and improved social skills. They demonstrate strong leadership skills as well as motivation for self improvement. They evidence ability to adapt to the teamwork concept, while also exhibiting high degrees of self-confidence and self-esteem. In conjunction with improved school attendance, their academic records show improved test scores and an appreciation for the correlation between schooling and future life plans. In their non-school lives they show less interests in negative behaviors and greater interest in becoming-as many participants have shared with me- "the best person that they can be".

Those are impressive results!

No different, though, than ones seen at our other youth programs. Moreover, they are outcomes which we expect for the funds we provide. Because, if any investment is important and needs to take root, it is the one we make in our children. For that reason alone, the United Way campaign is important to the Lorain community. Especially for those children who lack for the basics, or who are in danger of being left behind without opportunity and hope.

If able to speak for themselves on what they need from adults, our youth would likely choose thoughts akin to those in Mary Korzan's poem When You Thought I Wasn't Looking:

When you thought I wasn't looking, you displayed by first report, and I wanted another.

When you thought I wasn't looking, you fed a stray cat, and I thought it was good to be kind to animals.

When you thought I wasn't looking, you put your arm around me, and I felt loved.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw tears come from your eyes, and I learned that sometimes thing hurt - but that it's all right to cry.

When you thought I wasn't looking, you smiled, and it made me want to look that pretty too.

When you thought I wasn't looking, you cared, and I wanted to be everything you wanted me to be.

When you thought I wasn't looking - I looked - and wanted to say thanks for all the things you did when you thought I wasn't looking.

As printed in The Chronicle-Telegram 10/18/08