Each year Youth Emergency Service provides care and safe residence to more than 400 youth from Philadelphia and surrounding counties who experience housing insecurity. Some stay for a few days some stay for a few months. While they are at YES they receive the best medical care from Jefferson University as well as nutritious meals, academic support and positive engagement from a team of warm and caring adults. While at YES, youth have the ability to gain life skills and learn self-sufficiency skills that will help them towards reunification with family and stable housing.

So how can you help?

Youth at YES do not have many opportunities to explore the great outdoors and learn about the environment, or taking care of the earth.

>Through one of our initiatives a youth Michelle had the opportunity to attend a camping trip which YES was able to support her in attending. Michelle had a great experience which led her to looking into a career as a park ranger!

There are many opportunities for youth to become exposed to careers in nature. Supporting youth in outdoor exploration can expose urban city youth to careers such as Geologist, Botanist, Park Rangers, Environmental Scientist and more. These experiences can also cultivate skills such as team work, discovery, responsibility, task management, exploration, accountability and most importantly ownership.

This summer YES is tasked to raise $5,000 to create 5 experiential learning opportunities for youth to engage in. You can help by assisting us in reaching our goal to raise $5,000 in funds for outdoor activities that include: camping, hiking, nature walks, rafting, canoeing and other outdoor activities. Many of our youth have never had this experience and it is important for them to understand the importance of the environment and their role in being caretakers for the environment. The funds raised will be used for travel, food, lodging, equipment and other expenses used for these activities. Please help provide our youth with a once in a lifetime experience this summer! SAY YES TO YES!!!!