The Glens Falls Area Youth Center - Giving Back program

The children who are members of the center are a diverse assortment of cultures, races, ethnicities, belief systems and personalities.They are also at-risk; many of them are ostracized, bullied, and not expected to achieve much of anything. They are the definition of underdogs; left out of what some people believe are the important clicks in school and lack last names that carry any clout. The majority of our members come from low income families; 90 percent fall below the poverty line and qualify for free or reduced lunch at school. 

Each day at the Youth center we see the catastrophic results that the pandemic has had on the kids that we serve. They were in need prior to the pandemic and now all of their needs are amplified. They are battling an increased amount of food insecurity, having a harder time obtaining basic hygiene products and essentials, struggling to catch up educationally, combating a myriad of social emotional issues, and lack a lot of motivation to find positive recreational outlets to stay healthy mentally, physically and emotionally. 

At the GFYAC, it’s our mission to make sure that every child who walks through our doors knows they are loved, cared for, and believed in.We want to be a home away from home that they can count on, so we work hard to be a consistent presence, instill a sense of family, help develop good habits, and let our kids know that someone will always have their back. When they walk out our doors, we want them to go out into the world knowing that they can do anything they put their mind to, and they can lift any weight that life throws at them.The youth center provides youngsters with faith that there are people who believe in them and their dreams, hope for a brighter future and—most importantly— the love that most of them have never been given. We are optimistic that you will feel the same way because the children in our community have never been in greater need of your kindness and generosity. Anything that you could do to help this holiday season  would make all the difference!