Together for Hope - COVID-19 Response for Youth

Last year, with your help, we raised over $11,000 in school supplies to support over 1,200 youth including elementary, middle, high school, GED, and workforce students with their academic success. I ask for you to continue being a part of the academic success of our young people. We want to encourage our youth and assure them that they know they are worth it! Our 20 GED graduates worked for nearly two years, adjusting to the global pandemic, and successfully received their diplomas on the other side. Hear it from them yourself.

We recognize it takes a village to support our young people. Our  GED instructors make sure our young people are attending classes, studying, and preparing for the GED. Case management staff make sure our GED students have the support needed beyond academic learning, such as mental health aid, food assistance, and housing stability. Together the GED instructors and case management staff serve as a conduit of support, words of encouragement, and assuring our young people have the resources they need to make a successful transition to adulthood. 

As you might imagine, our youth’s transition to adulthood has not been easy. Today’s constant uncertainties, the ongoing impact of COVID on our youth and their families, limited family supports, the mental health of our young people, and the rising cost of living hinder our youth’s ability to reach milestones successfully. 

With your support of the Back to School Campaign, you will ensure that over 1,000 young people have access to the items they need for academic success. This includes sturdy backpacks and school supplies, such as pencils, pens, notebooks, and crayons.

Links:

• Latin American Youth Center Youtube
• Latin American Youth Center
• Latin American Youth Center Back to School Campaign

LAYC’s COVID-19 ambassador program, in partnership with the DC Mayor’s COVID-19 Community Corps, came to an end in September. Since June, our ambassadors have worked tirelessly to inform DC residents about the virus, build vaccine confidence in those that are still vaccine hesitant, and help residents protect themselves and their loved ones by getting vaccinated.

We are so proud to be able to address the disparities in our community in terms of reduced access to resources, facts about the virus and vaccine, as well as connections to vaccination sites, which is particularly pronounced among communities of color.

“Given the lack of available information about the vaccine, I'm very proud of my team for spreading the right information and trying to help people understand what the vaccine is and how it fights against the virus.” 
- Noemi, LAYC Peer Educator and former LAYC client

In just three months, seven COVID-19 ambassadors were able to get 5,000 people vaccinated through their tabling and canvassing effforts! In addition, they worked hard to address the low youth vaccination rates in DC, visiting local middle and high schools to provide information directly to youth in the community. We are also thrilled to report that our main site in Washington DC is now an approved COVID testing site, providing one more way for us to keep our youth healthy.

Your support has been invaluable to our work promoting community health throughout the pandemic and our team is truly grateful.

Thank you for your continued caring and generosity,

Lupi Quinteros-Grady

Since the pandemic began, LAYC staff have mobilized to support LAYC youth, their families, and our community at large to provide services such as COVID-19 education and outreach, food and rental assistance, and so much more.

Your support has made it possible for us to secure critical resources and ensure the health and well-being of thousands of families for over a year!

LAYC: A COMMUNITY LEADER IN THE FIGHT AGAINST COVID

Internal COVID-19 vaccine education and outreach efforts carried out by our Health Promotions and Community Wellness teams have been nothing short of remarkable; 87% of LAYC staff have already been fully vaccinated.

Our staff have also continued to share COVID-19 information and vaccine updates with LAYC clients and provide COVID-19 screening to youth to promote health and encourage vaccination in our communities. In addition, LAYC’s Prince George’s County, Maryland team hosted a COVID-19 vaccine clinic this month. Partnering with Luminis Health, we vaccinated 78 youth and their families at a fun summer programming kick-off event!   

I am proud to announce that LAYC’s Health Promotions Team recently joined Mayor Muriel Bowser’s Office to continue combatting COVID-19 with the Take the Shot, DC campaign, which aims to provide vaccine education and vaccination opportunities to residents. Our team has already recruited 27 COVID-19 Community Response Corps members to knock on doors to engage residents, primarily in Wards 7 and 8, about the vaccine. 

On June 19th, LAYC and its Community Response Corps members joined the Mayor's Office, DC Hope, DC Health, and American Airlines at a Take the Shot, DC event at Anacostia High School, located in Ward 8, to encourage vaccination.

We are all hoping for better days, but we are encouraged to see the progress we are making, understanding there is still much work to be done.

We cannot continue to support our communities without the support of individuals like you.

With gratitude,
Lupi Quinteros-Grady

Links:

• Teen Center Summer Magazine