All children deserve the opportunity to develop self-esteem, social and personal responsibility, strong academic habits, non-violent decision-making abilities, and viable job skills. The long-term benefits to Mesa are considerable when children are safe, healthy, and nurtured in a positive environment.
Your contributions to Mesa United Way help to support programs for children and youth by providing education, counseling, training, safe shelters and support services for foster children and those graduating out of the foster care system. For children ages 0 to 5, supported services include quality early care centers, parent and guardian training and supports.
For older youth, programs offer enriching after-school activities, adult and peer mentoring activities, crisis intervention counseling, and safe and nurturing living environments. Specific supported programs are listed below. Click on the indicated links to get more information on any of the services.
Description: Recognizing that simply providing abused children with a safe place to live is not enough to meet their needs. With the assistance of Mesa United Way and community support, A&A Cottages developed the EMPOWER independent living program. This program offers wrap around services to the youth in our group homes in addition to three more group homes in Mesa. In order to provide the youth with the necessary tools to become self-sufficient, the program provides a focus on education, mentoring, positive use of self, opportunities, well-being, employment and resiliency.
Further Info: http://www.aacottages.org
Description: The vision of La Mesita Child and Youth Development Center is that all homeless children receive the resources and support they need to weather the challenges of homelessness. La Mesita Child and Youth Development Center's goal is to provide a comprehensive program of licensed and accredited child-care, age-appropriate curriculum and specialized services to promote the healthy development and academic performance of homeless children and youth.
Further Info: http://www.turnanewleaf.org
Description: In an effort to help combat academic failure among young people from disadvantaged circumstances, the Boys and Girls Club Project Learn helps to inspire youth to become high-achieving students by incorporating academically-beneficial activities-called "high-yield learning activities"-into after-school Club activities. The program features the following major components: tutoring and help with homework; high- yield learning and leisure activities; parent and adult involvement; collaboration with schools; and incentives. These activities are designed to promote among participating youth a sense of belonging, usefulness, competence, and influence or power.
Further Info: http://www.clubzona.com
Description: The mission of the Girl Scouts is to create girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place. In addition to its traditional Girl Scout troops, the Council has established a diverse array of free outreach programs that deliver Girl Scout programs and services to low-income neighborhoods, housing projects, and homeless shelters. Research shows that families living in low-income and public housing are often restricted in their resources-time, money education, as well as access to community assets and experiences. These families are also more likely to expose girls to certain risk factors, including a higher level of tobacco and drug use, low levels of fitness, poor nutrition, and engagement in other risky behaviors. Girl Scouts helps to address these risks through development of character assets and leadership qualities.
Further Info: http://www.girlscoutsaz.org
Description: Girls will learn skills needed to make friends, work together, and resolve conflicts as they earn Brownie Try-It recognitions and Junior badges. Fulfilling the requirements of these badges will demonstrate that activities for these patches help develop social skills.
Further Info: http://www.girlscoutsaz.org
Description: 71% of Mesa's children ages 6-17 live in families where both parents or the single parent are in the labor force, increasing the likelihood that the child will spend a significant portion of their formative years in childcare. Not only do parents require accessible, affordable childcare in order to meet their workplace responsibilities, children need many of the same things from their childcare providers that they do from their parents - stability, nurturing, variety of experience, safety, and one-to-one interaction - in order to achieve optimum development. Offered at low or no cost, they follow a youth development strategy that has been proven effective in guiding youth through personal, educational, and social development, allowing large numbers of youth to fill their potential and become positive, value-oriented and productive citizens.
Further Info: http://www.clubzona.com
Description: Arizona Adoption and Foster Care (AAFC), a program of the Child Crisis Center (CCC), was created more than 31 years ago to advocate for foster children. Agency leaders have been experienced foster and adoptive parents who understood that foster and adoptive parents (now referred to as resource families) must be the primary advocates for their children. AAFC's mission is to empower and strengthen Arizona's children, youth, and families by providing support services and education to enhance their opportunities to reach their full potential.
Further Info: http://www.childcrisis.org
Description: The Child Crisis Center (CCC) - Emergency Shelter Program provides temporary shelter to children when their families are in crisis.
Further Info: http://www.childcrisis.org
Description: Blind and visually impaired clients age 15-21 demonstrate an improved ability to function independently in everyday life and an improved ability to travel safely and independently.
Further Info: http://www.seeitourway.org/
Description: Clients aquire the training, support, education, and treatment to develop thier cognitive, developmental and behavioral skills. Families gain the education to understand and improve their child's overall development. Clients gain an increased awareness of community resources to improve their child's education, and clients gain a greater sense of power, control and /or hope.
Further Info: http://www.seeitourway.org/
Description: With the goal of building character, discipline, and confidence in the lives of Mesa's at-risk youth, the Gene Lewis Youth Boxing program offers instruction in the art of amateur boxing. The program is designed to help promote a healthy respect for one's self as well as for family and community. Boys' and girls' energy is directed into constructive, supervised activities that will help to lead them toward good citizenship and high standards of personal conduct.
For more information email: GeneLewisBoxingClub@yahoo.com
Josh Benjamin, Executive Director
Gene Lewis Boxing Club
Description: Traditional Scouting's goals are to continue to offer young people responsible fun and adventure; instill in young people lifetime values and develop in them ethical character as expressed in the Scout Oath and Law; train young people in citizenship, service and leadership; and serve America's communities and families with its quality, values-based program.
Further Info: http://www.grandcanyonbsa.org
Description: The vision of Learning for Life is to strive to be the foremost co-educational youth program for character and career development. Learning for Life combats such social ills as youth delinquency, youth substance abuse, youth crime, and gang membership. By combating these issues with boys and girls currently in junior high and high school, the City of Mesa benefits for generations to come. Families strengthen their bonds when they participate in Learning for Life's programs.
Further Info: http://www.grandcanyonbsa.org
To increase the number of teens and preteens residing in the City of Mesa receiving knowledge about the YMCA's four character values of of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility by interacting with positive adult role models at the Mesa YMCA.
Further Info: http://www.valleyymca.org/
UFB will provide nutritious, kid-friendly food to low-income, at-risk, food insecure youth involved in educational enrichment and recreation programming so they are healthier, having improved nutrition, and subsequently learn better in school and have improved academic success.
Further Info: http://www.unitedfoodbank.org/
