Why We're Stepping Up

Mentoring

Coast Guard GM1 David Figueroa is just one of the many people stepping up to help The Up Center. David serves as a mentor to Glendon in the agency's Team Up Mentoring program. The pair have signed up to compete in the 50 story category. “I’ve really enjoyed the Team Up program more than I thought I would, and I see how it has changed Glendon for the better,” Figueroa said. “Glendon had a father that he very rarely saw and really had no influence in his life. Today, when I think about the kid I met back in 2008 and who he is today, I can honestly say it is a complete turn around."

Job Training

Employee Juanita Rivera is taking the stairs to benefit The Up Center's job training program. Like most of her co-workers at the Spotlight Books program, she began her work at the online book seller as a trainee. She arrived after she had hit bottom. She had been homeless, and her weight had dropped to as low as 98 pounds. She finally pulled herself together and successfully completed a rehab program. But she said, she still had to fight for her life.

“I would pour my heart out when I would go to job interviews,” Rivera said. “But the door would be slammed in my face again and again.”

Rivera said she finally was referred to Spotlight Books.  After completing work as a trainee, she did so well the agency gave her one of the few jobs it could offer—the supervisor position.

Family Support

Joni Brooks is taking the stairs to thank The Up Center for helping her grandson Braden who was born drug addicted. Her family received counseling and supervised visitation services to help Braden become a healthy and happy little boy.

"I can't tell everyone enough how wonderful The Up Center has been to my family," Brooks said. "The agency was able to help us through a situation that was  very, very difficult."

These are only three of our stories. Overall, we are taking the stairs to help our region's children and those who are most vulnerable during difficult times. It doesn't take a lot of money to make a major difference in someone's life. We've listed just a few examples below of how The Up Center may utilize donations:

$5 a week (or $260 a year) can provide

*Housing counseling for two families to help them save their homes from foreclosure 
*A month of supportive home visits for a family at-risk of abusing/neglecting children

*Support for a veteran suffering from post traumatic stress disorder and his family

A gift of $1,000 or more can provide:

*A mentor for one year for a child in need 
*A month of intensive family preservation to keep children out of foster care
*A week of specialized summer camp for two children with disabilities 

..and so much more.

95% of the funding we receive goes directly into our programs to help people in need.