YES seeking help for families over holidays

Published 1:53 pm Sunday, October 17, 2010

Youth Eastside Services (YES) is seeking companies, community groups and individuals to sponsor a family or child over the holidays from Eastside communities.

This year, donors can help with more than just holiday gifts by funding a child’s summer camp experience, or providing emergency funds to young mothers and their small children. Gifts to help offset costs of uncompensated care will also be accepted as part of the Adopt-a-Family Program.

YES offers counseling, outreach and prevention services to youth and families struggling with family violence, anxiety, depression and substance abuse and they serve all kids, regardless of a family’s ability to pay. This year, YES has experienced a 20 percent increase in care for families without insurance, Medicaid or the financial resources to pay for services.

Sponsors are given a wish list from their adopted family or individual by Nov. 22 and are asked to give a minimum of one new gift and one article of clothing to each child in a family, as well as a family household gift, such as a vacuum cleaner or kitchen necessities.

Gifts must be delivered to the YES office in Bellevue at 999 164 Ave. NE by Dec. 15. Gift cards and donations will be accepted anytime.

Adopt-A-Family recipients are YES clients who have been identified by a YES counselor and they must meet financial eligibility to be part of the program.

Last year, donors assisted more than 140 families, some 500 plus people, making this one of the largest holiday programs on the Eastside. YES is accepting Adopt-a-Family sponsors through Nov. 17.

More information: Anthony Blankenship, 425-586-2323 or AnthonyB@YouthEastsideServices.org.