Are you interested in getting involved and giving back? Below we have listed a number of ways you can get involved and support the young people at Hearts & Homes for Youth. If you are interested in any of these opportunities, contact Caitlin Ward, cward@heartsandhomes.org.
Sharing Your Expertise:
We are constantly working to prepare our young people to be well rounded, self-sufficient adults. There are opportunities’ to facilitate small life skills groups or provide one-on-one guidance to a young person that’s area of interest may align with your skill set. Life skills groups are hosted in Baltimore and Columbia, Md., some topic areas are:
- Health Q&A
- Study Skills
- Goal Setting
- Positive Self Identity/Self -Awareness
- Social and Emotional Balance
- Building a Strengths-Based Character
- Social Skills
- Drug Awareness
- Budgeting and Money Management
- Understanding Housing Costs and Paying Bills
- Building Credit
- Resume Writing
- Job Skills for Maintaining Employment
- Career Planning and Exposure
- Healthy Relationships/SEX/Dating
- Coping Skills/Understanding Emotions
- Healthy Conflict Resolutions
- Picture Framing
- Re-upholstery
- Electrical
- Basic Auto Skills
- Art
- Cooking classes
- Beauty and grooming (face and skin) group,
- Personal branding
- Parenting topics
Sponsor an Event: We aim to provide opportunities for our young people to create new positive memories while they are with us with the hope that the good will begin to offset the bad experiences in their life journey. Some event ideas include:
- Sponsor our Mother’s Day event
- Sponsor an Amusement Park Trip
- Sponsor and plan a Volunteer Day for our youth
- Sponsor a Sporting Event Trip
- Host a Barbeque
- Sponsor a Graduation Party
- Donate gift cards to restaurants, Dave and Busters, Movies, etc.
Employment Opportunities: Our young people are seeking opportunities to build their professional skills and earn money in order to age out of foster care successfully. Our youth WILL benefit greatly while in our program as well as after they have transitioned. Some ways you can help:
- Provide internship opportunities for our youth
- Assist with linking qualified youth to employment opportunities
Mentoring or Tutoring: Youth in foster care often miss many needed educational opportunities and fall behind academically due to frequent moves. Providing our youth with one-on-one educational support can make a significant difference in a young person’s life. A background check is required to provide tutoring or mentoring for our youth.
Helping Us Get The Word Out: Come to our agency for an orientation session and learn about the youth we serve and the programs we offer! Then take our flyers to your job, church, social groups, etc.! We are looking to recruit families interested in becoming foster parents!
Donations:
- Car seats
- Strollers
- Pack and Plays
- Coats
- GED Study Materials
- Gift Cards to Target, Walmart, Babies R Us etc. to assist us in purchasing emergency supplies for incoming youth
- Gift cards to restaurants, Dave and Busters, Movies, etc.
- Diapers and Wipes
- Hair accesories