From Summer Memories to New Beginnings

By Kate Gilliland, Mental Health Clinician

When I completed my master's in counseling degree, I never thought a workday in the summer would consist of baking six homemade pizzas for a group of excited teenage girls, but it has become one of my favorite days and summer traditions! In the Youth Resource Center, we recently ended our "Summer Series", a weekly group session where our girls participate in fun activities that help them gain life skills. Imagine last week, for instance, eight girls huddled around a table painting ceramics and bursting with excitement at how their pieces would turn out. Earlier this summer, they got their hands dirty (literally) with two of our amazing Liberty Street Garden apprentices planting a variety of greens! 

What has stuck with me the most through our fun summer together is the relationships the girls have built with each other. It's not uncommon for a girl to walk through the doors of the YRC at the lowest moment of her life. She may be feeling lonely, isolated, and misunderstood. One of the things that makes New Friends New Life so special is the community that is built within the walls that travels with them long after. I love hearing the girls squeal when they see each other, laugh and sing loudly in the back of the van on the way to field trips, and cheer each other on through Phase-up ceremonies, life wins, and big events. 

I believe moments like these help prepare our youth members for a life of healing, growth, and hope. As they learn to trust one another with their joy, creativity, and new experiences, they begin to see that their past does not define who they are or who they can become. They are fun, creative, playful, and capable leaders, and these moments give them space to dream, grow, and plan for the futures they deserve.

If you have ever donated, volunteered, or given in any way, I want to sincerely thank you. The work may be long and unglamorous at times, but I promise you it is making an enormous difference in the lives of the teen girls we serve. We could not do it without you, and we are so grateful!