Agency: San Diego Youth Services

Description:

The teen shelter has many needs during the holidays and volunteers are essential in helping us make this a special time for youth who are in our project. Volunteers are needed to drop-off food, decorations and beverages for the holiday.

Due to the nature of the shelter and confidentiality polices, the Storefront can not have "one-time" only, holiday volunteers working directly with the youth (such as serving food, supervising youth, or "hanging out" with the teens). Storefront volunteers go through a screening and training process to work directly with the youth. If you are interested in volunteering to work directly with the youth and you can make at least a 6 month commitment, we encourage you to contact our Volunteer Services.

Community Impact: Your donations of yummy food & beverages, festive decorations, and fun movie outings will help ensure Storefront teens have the same fulfilling and nurturing holiday experience all kids deserve. With your help we hope to lessen their feelings of being abandoned or uncared for by their family.

Enriching activities build self-esteem and re-socialize many of our youth that feel out of place & uncomfortable in mainstream society. By providing nurturing and supportive services with food and positive activities, we are able to build healthy relationships while providing for their basic needs.

Holiday Wish List:

Christmas Food: Ham, turkey, tamales, side dishes, main entrees, desserts, refreshments (sparkling cider, juice, soda), and snacks (vegetables, dips, chips, crackers). Also, heavy duty disposable paper plates, plastic utensils, and cups are needed.

--There are no cooking facilities at Storefront (we do have microwaves). As a result, food must be cooked prior to being brought to Storefront. 

--We are hoping to provide food for 20-40 youth.

Holiday Breakfast: Storefront is also looking for one volunteer group to bring a cooked breakfast to the shelter on Thursday, December 25 at 7:30AM.

GIFTS:

For the Holidays we would like your help in providing gifts for the youth.  From all the donations SDYS Storefront Shelter collects, we hope to give each youth a backpack filled with similar items, the backpack is our version of a holiday stocking. Our goal is for the youth wake up on Christmas Day with a new backpack waiting for them on their footlocker at the end of their bed. It is a lot of fun for the overnight residential counselor to "play" Santa. We sort through all the donations ahead of time to pack the donated backpacks with items in the youth's favorite color or clothing size. Below are the basic new items we hope to have in each backpack:

• Pajama pants (men's size S to XXL)
• Cozy Slippers (male/female)
• Beanie and scarf
• Hooded zipped sweatshirt (men's size S to XXL, grey or black colors only)
• Sweat pants (men's size S to XXL, grey or black colors only)
• Men's Boxers (size 30-46, no knit boxer briefs)
• Women's low-cut bikini underwear (size 4-7)
• New Women Bras
• Ankle socks
• Plain men's crew t-shirts (with no pockets) in solid colors (white, black, grey) in size S to XXL. The youth have told us they like the "Tall-T" at Footlocker or Hanes brand
• Fragrance sprays (Axe or Bod for Men/ Women's Spray from Bath & Body Works)
• 1 inch 3-ring view binder & subject dividers (the youth slide pictures in the outside view of the binder)
• Journal or Composition notebook
• Marker sets
• Hair brush or comb/picks
• CD players with radio
• Stuffed animal large enough to hug (this is tied to the outside of the backpack)
• Fleece twin size blanket (this is tied to the outside of the backpack)
• $5 gift cards to Jamba Juice, Starbucks, Mc Donalds, or Jack In the Box
• $15-$20 Target gift card (the youth usually purchase music)
• Gift certificates to Westfield/Simon malls are always much appreciated
• AMC movie gift cards for a movie outing the day after Christmas

Also, we are registered at Target, please feel free to purchase items from wish list under first name Storefront, last name Storefront. 

Please:

• No gift items of the following gang colors: completely red or blue.
• Provide gift receipts for clothing or shoes in order to exchange for sizes
• Leave the gifts unwrapped

Latest date donations can be accepted:

FOR FOOD: Friday, December 25 between 7AM to 10AM. Donations may be dropped off earlier in the week (Monday to Friday between 8AM to 8PM, please call ahead of time).

FOR GIFTS: Monday, December 21 between 8AM to 8PM.  Donations may be dropped off earlier in the month (Monday to Friday 8AM to 8PM, please call ahead of time).

This project is approved for volunteers with the following restrictions: Allow Pending Members

Impact Areas: Community Enrichment, Children & Youth, Homelessness/Hunger, Children & Youth

Interests: The interests recommended for this project are:
Population Served: Men, Population Served: Youth, Population Served: Women, Types of Volunteering: Family, Types of Volunteering: Group Opportunities, Issue Area: Poverty / Low Income, Issue Area: Homelessness and Housing

Skills: The skills helpful for participation in this project are:
General: Organizing / Sorting / Cleaning

Accommodations for volunteers with disabilities: You will have the opportunity to request accommodations after you sign up for this project.