Tree For Tots assists Youth 2000 Centre

The Youth 2000 Centre (Y2C), a non-profit organization that promotes employment and education programs for youth ages of 6-18, will benefit from the Advertiser newspaper's annual Trees for Tots charity this year.

Every year the newspaper chooses a charity that supports children in the community. Last year, the initiative raised over $1,400 that it donated to the South and Central Health Foundation for use in the pediatrics unit.. Other children's charities have benefited over the previous several years.

"The Trees for Tots charity is a fun way to raise money for a good cause, " said Advertiser Editor David Newell. "The Y2C centre is a valuable part of our community, it helps many young children and teenagers. Donating to them is in keeping with our intention of helping children and making Christmas a happy time for kids. We are proud to be able to help the Y2C centre this year."

Director of Youth Employment Services and centre Co-ordinator April Skinner said the donation from the Trees for Tots will provide the centre with a welcome boost in funding for their youth programs.

"It's nice," said Ms. Skinner. "It's a great contribution towards our upcoming programs because obviously you know funding is not easy and it costs money to carry out programs an all of our programs and services are free. "

The centre which is located on 34 Bond Street provides youth with educational and employment programs. Right now the centre offers a Homework Haven - Kids Eat Smart tutoring program after school on Mondays to Thursdays for kids from K-12. On Tuesday nights they hold a movie night from 6-8 p.m. where kids get a healthy snack and watch a movie, and they also offer a Youth Zone where pre-teens and teens can drop in, socialize, have fun and play games.

The centre also supports job creation partnerships for youth and a graduation assistance program that provides graduation dresses for girls from lower income families from former graduates who are worn and donated them to the centre.

The Y2C is always creating new programs and looking for volunteers to carry them out and participants to join in. By January they hope to have several new programs up and running including a Wii-Fitness program which will involve electronic workouts in yoga, boxing and aerobics; a babysitting course designed to teach youth ages 11 and up how to responsibly care for a child, a Kids and Drugs parenting program; a Little Chefs cooking class for youth ages 6-12; and a sewing program to help kids learn to sew by hand and machine.

If you would like to make a contribution to help support the Y2C in their programs for youth and light up the Tree for Tots on the front lawn of the Advertiser building with colourful Christmas lights this season, you can purchase our white bulbs for for $20, green bulbs for $10 and red bulbs for $5.