Wisconsin Youth & Family Center

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Community Partners

Wisconsin Youth & Family Center could not exist without the financial support and the dedication and shared concern for youth of our funders and community partners. Together we're providing recreation, academic support and life skills learning to the youth of the Greater Elver Park Neighborhood.

Funders
City of Madison, Office of Community Services, Community Resources Program: WYFC receives money from this program to "enhance the health and quality of life in Madison's neighborhoods for children, youth, families and the elderly." http://www.cityofmadison.com/

City of Madison Community Development Block Grant (CDBG): Funds from CDBG cover facility use costs for WYFC. This falls under the city's funding priority of "strengthening Madison's neighborhoods by helping sustain the operation of neighborhood centers that bring people of diverse backgrounds together and serve as neighborhood focal points." http://www.cityofmadison.com/cdbg/

Dane County Human Services: WYFC receives funding from Dane County Human Services through its Children, Youth and Families Division which has as one of its priorities funding Youth Resource Centers. Youth Resource Centers are dedicated to meeting the needs of middle school age youth in the neighborhood where they live. www.danecountyhumanservices.org

Madison Community Foundation: WYFC received a two year grant to help fund its Elver Park Vending Operation and to encourage participation in winter sports at Elver Park. This project, which is run in cooperation with the City of Madison Parks Department, allows center youth to learn job skills renting winter sports equipment from the Elver Park shelter. http://www.madisoncommunityfoundation.org

Community Partners
Girls Inc.: The Madison YWCA sponsors this chapter of Girls, Inc. that meets twice a week at the center. The group, led by Tai Words-Jones, offers informal education programs that encourage girls to take risks and master physical, intellectual and emotional challenges. http://www.ywca.org/site/pp.asp?c=lkJZJdO4F&b=132600

Turn Around Teen Counseling Services: provides educational support to WYFC youth through weekly kinetic education sessions to help them improve study skills and school performance. http://www.turnaroundteen.org/

Empowerment Cafe: Dolores Kokinos is the founder of the Empowerment Cafe and creator of The Empowerment Principles. She's a consultant to organizations and businesses helping them to improve efficiency and productivity. She also works with individuals on identifying and eliminating the obstacles that keep them from achieving personal goals. She teaches The Empowerment Principles to center youth in six week sessions. http://www.theempowermentcafe.com

Madison Police Department, West District: Neighborhood Police Officer Justine Harris works closely with families and youth in Elver Park area making sure they have access to services like WYFC offers. http://www.cityofmadison.com/Police/west/

Dane County Youth Resource Network: WYFC is a member of this organization which advocates for and supports youth programs. http://www.allwisyouth.org/

DaneNet: This non-profit organization donates technical expertise to keep WYFC's computer lab up and running. DaneNet staff also teaches an annual robotics course to center youth. http://www.danenet.org/

Project Linus, Madison Chapter: Project Linus is a national organization that is dedicated to providing a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans. WYFC youth participated in this project by making and donating 20 blankets. http://www.projectlinus-madison.org/

Second Harvest Food Bank of Southern Wisconsin: Second Harvest is a nonprofit organization that distributes food to more than 400 partner programs in 16 counties in Southern Wisconsin. Center youth volunteer at Second Harvest and learn about helping others. http://www.secondharvestmadison.org/