YP Impact has been wanting to work with charities that help at-risk children, since we started. And when we were trying to figure out which nonprofit we should volunteer with, we realized just how large of a subject “at-risk” is. What determines or is a contributor to children being considered “at-risk”? Food, education, poverty, safety, clothing, home life, health, and a dozen other things all affect a child’s development and if they are considered “at-risk.” Lack of basic needs can put children in situations that negatively affect their life, safety, and future.
There is a study for every one of the above, that shows how it contributes to a child’s path in life. And they are all interlocked, like puzzle pieces building the path for their lives – a lack of stable food and meals, negatively affects a child’s education, which in turn leads to higher dropout rates, and affects their possibilities for the future. A stable, positive, and loved life during childhood, exponentially changes where that child will go in life.
Now, no matter how much we would like to address and vanquish all the negative things that may affect a child’s development, we have to focus on one issue at a time. After looking at all of the different charities and organizations that are working to help children facing these different challenges, we decided to work with Westside Baby.
One of the things that was attractive about Westside Baby was that they work with agencies to make sure all the basic needs of children from low-income families are met. And with 23% of families in King County struggling just to have diapers for their babies, Westside Baby’s work is a much-needed service for many of those in our community. While they focus on keeping children safe, warm and dry, they work with agencies providing counseling, housing assistance and more to for these families.
While Westside Baby is our featured nonprofit this quarter, we will write about more than just providing clothing, diapers, cribs, strollers. We will dive into how not having basic needs affects a child’s development, how charities can work together to help meet the needs of children and much more.
Join us this quarter as we have events in support of Westside Baby and all the families that they support. We will be raising awareness, volunteering and raising money throughout the next three months.
We look forward to seeing you all there!
Interested in making an impact on at-risk children? Join YP Impact on August 3rd, as we help sort donated items at Westside Baby. To learn more about Westside Baby, check out the interview Clarissa Marzan did with their Executive Director Nancy Woodland.
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YP Impact is a budding community of young professionals with an interest in giving back to the community we live, work and play in. If you’re interested in joining the community or just hearing more, visit this page and sign up to follow along.
