In 2007, a gentleman by the name of Eric Aaholm became the first Executive Director and YES has grown under his leadership. YES provides underserved youth and families facilitated experiences in nature that act as leadership pathways for individual and community development. Each year YES accomplishes its mission by sending hundreds of children ages 8-16 to weeklong summer camps and weekend excursions around the San Francisco Bay Area and to Family Camps in the Redwoods. What is different than other programs of this kind, and well worth noting, is that not only children are part of this program but their families also accompany them and become a part of the learning experience. Incorporating the whole family encourages everyone to integrate the newly shared experiences and knowledge back at home. Kenyatta Loftis is a good example of YES’ work. She brought her family to Richmond from Marin County and wanted to get her daughter Nia into a camp program. Through a contact at Building Blocks for Kids she heard about YES and was very soon talking to Demetria, a YES staff member, who invited her to attend a Family Camp. She was anxious for Nia to attend but as Nia says, she wasn’t very interested at first. This soon changed as mother and daughter began working through all the fun activities including the zip line, family art project, night hike and campfire. Nia loved the experience, and so did her Mom. They bunked in cabins with other families who they enjoyed meeting and still keep in contact with, and most importantly they now look forward to attending future Family Camps. The record of YES is impressive. Eric Aaholm told me that he and his staff of seven (and more than 50 volunteers) have a core program which includes: Summer Camp programming providing scholarships for 300 youth to attend overnight summer camps each year, Family Camp- providing weekend camping experiences for the whole family, their Camp-to-Community program- a year-round teen leadership program, and the Wellness Navigators program- an adult health advocacy and leadership program. During the 15 years that YES has served the Richmond and West Contra Costa community, they have sent approximately 4,800 youngsters to residential summer camps brought 950 families to Family Camps and have awarded $2 million in camp scholarships. The numbers tell a compelling story. The children and families YES serves primarily live in Richmond and the surrounding West Contra Costa County and are 45% African American and 52% Latino, and 100% qualify for free and reduced lunch. It is wonderful to see, in action how a committed staff, supported by the community, can take on a challenge and succeed. It is gratifying to know that YES, is transforming the City of Richmond and helping to make it a community that we all can be proud of. Each time I see another group of tired and happy youngsters
Contra Costa Marketplace - Aug 2015
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