Do you ever wonder about the good that comes from your support? Here at the Youth Opportunity Program miracles happen every day! Just this week I was reminded of the huge impact our program makes on people’s lives.
This week I received a call from Julie, a former YOOP participant who had completed her journey with us December 2019. She made a simple request, “How can I get one of the YOOP Christmas gift tags. I want to ‘pass it on’ to someone who needs the help that I got.” Julie admits that she made a lot of bad choices growing up and pretty much ran wild, struggled with substances, dropped out of school and eventually was homeless in Portland. When she was 19 she returned to Yamhill County and got into recovery. She realized that she had “Zero hopes for a work future” and came in to YOOP. She remembers countless hours of tutoring and staff that were always willing to “talk her through stuff”. She completed her GED and a work experience through YOOP which helped her get and keep her current job.
She has now been employed by Cascade Steel for 3 years, has a good relationship with her family and is doing well! Her resources are limited, but still she wants to do what she can to build up and support another person in their journey. She remembers how much it meant to her to receive gifts at Christmas. So she bought everything on the gift tag and has already delivered it to us.
Her grateful heart led her to do a kindness for another. This is only one of many miracles! You, our friends and supporters, don’t always know how a life has been touched and changed. You give in faith that even though you are not able to be the one to personally come alongside a struggling youth, you play an important part in the transformation miracle! Right now there are 66 young people getting help in changing their lives. With your year end support we can count on many more lives transformed.
Have you had help overcoming adversity in your life or been blessed with very little adversity? Either way we all have so much to be grateful for! What action is your grateful heart leading you to take? Consider using the enclosed envelope to make Chehalem Youth and Family Services part of your year-end giving or donate on line at www.cyfs.net.
Warmest Wishes for your holidays!
