I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!  On the menu…chocolate chocolate chip and organic strawberry ice cream.

Our teens have been busy since last week making these delicious flavors from scratch! Today, teens came into our Clark kitchen to churn their liquid mixtures into solid, creamy ice cream which were so tasty! Ingredients they used were natural, no corn syrup or artificial sweeteners. Congrats to our teens on their ice cream creations, and kudos as well to our staff, Chef Alison and Chef Tina, for providing such great guidance to our youth.

One teen shared, “I really like being in the kitchen because I learn about patience and I’m able to practice my communication skills with my friends since I’m usually a shy person. I also can’t go wrong in the kitchen because Miss Tina always makes it fun.”

If you’re a local chef and would like to participate in our year-round chef mentoring program as part of our Successful Transitions Program, please contact Tina Reyes at treyes@centerforchildren.org.

 

Many thanks to VIP volunteers, Doreen Schonbrun and Lynda Kerr, for leading an art class today for children and teens in our care!

Our youth had a great time creating and decorating their succulent planters. One teen shared, “I like how pretty it is. I’m having fun!”

Art therapy is an important component the Center incorporates within our therapeutic programs as it teaches youth coping skills, and helps them express their creativity and expand their imagination. We appreciate Doreen and Lynda for being so generous with their time, and sharing their passion for art with our youth in a fun, supportive environment!

    

Our youth had a blast during yesterday’s Summer Slam 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament – a fun and friendly competition involving exercise, teamwork and sportsmanship! 

Our incredible corporate partners, Gaslamp District Media and Batta Fulkerson Law Group, generously sponsored this event and provided shirts, equipment and prizes. Plus, they also served as referees and scorekeepers! Both groups and our friends at Newmark Knight Frank San Diego also brought volunteers to help put on this annual summer event. We can’t thank them enough for all of their help and support to the Center!

Thank you as well to Erick De La Rosa from Mutual of America who donated art supplies and his time in helping our youth create a unique painting. We appreciate everyone helping, including our Residential and Recreational team members, to create some fun summertime memories for our youth!

To see photos from our tournament, please click here.

  

The fabulous team at Good Vibrations Family Chiropractic held a very successful back to school supply drive for the Center!  We are so grateful to our wonderful partners in the community that continue to support our mission in such a meaningful way!

For more information on the different ways you can partner with the Center, contact Kristi Worley at kworley@centerforchildren.org.

Our youth are so talented!  We’re constantly amazed by their abilities, in addition to their perseverance and determination to overcome their mental health struggles.

Enjoy this video of our youth choir singing at our 131st Anniversary Celebration last month for over 300 guests at Humphreys by the Bay. Truly remarkable!

Here is what our youth had to say about performing at our event:
“Pretty cool!”
“It was awesome performing in front of all those people.”
“It made me feel good.”
“I was anxious at first but then happy.”

         

Over 15 Academy students enjoyed a 2-day mini science camp last week all due to the generosity of FTC 4216 Rise of Hephaestus, a high school robotics team in San Diego.

This is the second year that Rise of Hephaestus has hosted a camp for our students on our main campus in Linda Vista. Students had fun learning about circuits, density, and the importance of teamwork through a variety of STEM projects.

Rise of Hephaestus generously volunteered their time, and donated materials so that each student could have their own projects to work on. We’re thankful to Rise of Hephaestus for their continued support as well as their passion for bringing science to our students in order to make learning more accessible!

    

Our quarterly e-Newsletter is available for your reading pleasure!

Many summer happenings taking place at the Center, along with other updates and special recognition of Aldrich Advisors, Bank of America, and Mission Federal Credit Union for their generous partnership.

Click this link to read our e-Newsletter.

 

This past year marked our 130th Anniversary and we’re happy to share with you the impact that was made to incite change and create hope for 7,740 youth and family members in need.

Please enjoy our latest annual report highlighting our rich history as San Diego’s oldest children’s nonprofit, and the inspiring success stories of youth and families who made great strides to overcome their mental health challenges.

 

    

    

Grant Thornton has been an amazing corporate partner for over 8 years – supporting our efforts through event sponsorships, donation drives, and hands-on volunteer work on our main campus! Once again, this team did not disappoint.

Grant Thornton employees showed our Residential cottages some love with a little bit of paint…these bedrooms never looked so good! Thank you Grant Thornton for your ongoing support and commitment to the youth and families we serve!

If your company would like to “give back” and support the Center through a service project, please contact Kristi Worley at kworley@centerforchildren.org.

    

     

    

Our Summer Chef Demo Series continues to be fun and educational for our teens!

Tommy the Fishmonger stopped by our Clark kitchen this week to teach our teens how to create a healthy, affordable and approachable tuna stir-fry in minutes. And, not only that, Tommy shared some inspirational words with our teens about the importance of finding things they’re passionate about and staying focused on accomplishing their goals in a positive way.

We thank Tommy for his support, encouragement and spending time with our teens!

If you’re a local chef and would like to participate in our year-round chef mentoring program as part of our Successful Transitions Program, please contact Tina Reyes at treyes@centerforchildren.org.