This year middle and high schoolers from all three New Futures sites participated in a series of Science Nights (Noches de Ciencias) hosted by the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers. They created nearly unsinkable aluminum foil boats...
Community Stories
Our programs see successes every day – sometimes it’s a huge event that affects the whole community, sometimes it’s a small detail that shows a positive change in a person. Here are some of the stories that inspire us.
“My daughter is learning so much”
The power of the Parent Child Home Program was clear in a recent home visit. The two-year-old girl's vocabulary and expression had blossomed over the year – she had started the program with very little word or pattern recognition.
More than letters and numbers
I.K. is a tiny, sweet and very smart girl. When she started participating in Colorful Hands, a kindergarten readiness program at Southwest Youth and Family Services New Futures site at Windsor Heights, she was quiet and would repeat every word that her teacher said. She was afraid to try anything new.
Partnering to support a parent
A recent women's group provided a very valuable connection for one of the mothers at Woodridge Park. Her son attends the elementary age program after school, and for some time her children have been receiving services through Child Haven and counseling through SWYFS.
Transforming family crisis
We first met F in a New Futures ELL class in 2012. She had recently come from Turkey with her three children and her husband. Their children participated in our programs, and F was very involved in ELL class, but she was very reserved, and it took some extra effort for staff to get to know her.
Powerful connections
One day, late last year, in a counseling staff meeting, our director looked over to me and said, “We have a referral for a client who is non-verbal. He is interested in art therapy, do you want this case?” I’m generally pretty excited about new challenges and said “Yes” almost immediately.
Peace N The Hood
In light of recent shootings and increased violence this year, our second annual Peace N The Hood 3-on-3 basketball tournament was even more important than usual...
“I was really about community… SWYFS has really changed my life so much.”
Listen to some powerful words from Alondra, a student who turned her life around with support from SWYFS programs.