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The holiday season has arrived and like always, we take time to pause and reflect on this year. Well, this has certainly been a year full of challenges, but there is much to celebrate and be grateful for. This year, many organizations have had to rethink and reimagine the way we provide our services. We have made changes and adapted in ways we would have never thought possible. That is something to celebrate. Traditionally, the Club is a facility based program, but through innovation and perseverance we have been able to reach the youth who need us most...even in the midst of a health emergency. Through our Club in a Box Home Activity Kit, we have reached over 3,000 youth in Antelope Valley and provided them with hands-on, screen-free, outcome driven activities that foster critical thinking and imagination. We are grateful for the commitment of our partners, The Morningstar Foundation, California Water District, Palmdale School District and many more that make this possible. We are grateful for our partnership with the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, which during non-pandemic times provide us with meals for our afterschool program. Within week one of the pandemic they quickly pivoted and entrusted us to distribute over 2 million pounds of food right here in the Antelope Valley community. This partnership has impacted thousands of families in the Antelope Valley and continues to provide food to those most impacted by COVID restrictions. We are thankful for our grantors, local businesses, and the countless individuals that continue their support of the Club mission. This year's golf fundraiser was looking like it was going to be cancelled, but a few individuals championed the cause and created a pandemic proof event. The result was an astonishing $40,000 raised for critical youth programs . Thank you, Mike Johnson, Dr. Ric Garrison, and the AVBGC Board for finding unprecedented ways to enrich the lives of our local youth. Enabling all youth, especially those that need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens is the mission the AV Boys & Girls Club staff strive for every day they walk through our doors. We are grateful to our staff who work tireless everyday to help kids create brighter futures. Finally, we are grateful for our Club parents who trust us with the health and safety of their children, and our Club kids who make everything worthwhile! We wish you a Happy Thanksgiving, we are grateful for YOU, and look forward to the days we can all be together again. Sincerely, Stacey Cantwell Jay Duke Executive Director Chief Professional Officer
Parenting in the time of COVID-19 brings uncharted territory for families. How do I keep children healthy? How do I answer their questions about the coronavirus? Is my teen sleeping too long? How can we stay calm and manage the stress? Will I ever get 10 minutes to myself? Family stress and emotional strain are on the rise because of the rapidly changing situation with the COVID-19 outbreak. And family members who were already dealing with mental health challenges may experience worsening symptoms. But there are ways to cope. Boys & Girls Clubs of America knows that parents and caregivers may find it challenging to know all the answers, what to say and how to care for their children’s mental health as well as their own. That’s why we’ve created this list of practical resources from experts in family and youth well-being. Taking Care of Your Behavioral Health: Tips for Social Distancing, Quarantine, and Isolation During an Infectious Disease Outbreak Focuses on potential emotional reactions and mental health concerns and self-care tips Available in Spanish Stress and Coping: Parents Lists behavior changes to watch for in youth and suggests ways to support them Available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese Trauma and Your Family Defines traumatic stress, how common it is, how it can impact a family and things a family can do to cope with traumatic stress Mental Health and Teens: Watch for Danger Sign s Tips for communication, red flags to watch for, potential mental health issues and when and how to get help Available in English and Spanish, and as an audio recording Teen Mental Health Guide for Parents Tips and advice for parents to help teens overcome body image issues, academic anxiety, peer pressure and cyberbullying. About Childhood Grief How to demonstrate understanding and compassion to a grieving child based on research and practice among children's grief support professionals and volunteers Disaster Distress Helpline Call 1-800-985-5990 (press 2 for Spanish) Text TalkWithUs or Hablanos for Spanish to 66746 (50 states) or Hablanos to 1-787-339-2663 (Puerto Rico) Crisis Text Line Text HOME to 741741 Free 24/7 support via text for anyone in any type of crisis Parent/Caregiver Guide to Helping Families Cope with the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)