tahoe youth

Three local community groups were recently awarded grants form the South Lake Tahoe Rotary Club. The Drug Store Project was given $1,000, H.E.R.O Scholarship Fund $2,000 and the Sierra House Elementary 5th Grade Nature Bridge $1,500.

The Drug Store Project, which is operated under the guidance of Tahoe Youth and Family Services will use the money to continue its annual youth drug awareness and avoidance program in 2016. This is program is designed to reduce future drug experimentation/use/abuse and increase student knowledge about the dangers of drug and alcohol use.

On Course Events has teamed up with Sushi Pier Tahoe again to produce the 5th Annual Shred for Sushi Rail Jam on Tuesday, December 15, 2015 at 7:00 p.m.

Tahoe Youth & Family Services has been the recipient of some truly amazing kindness from the community in the last few months.

Thirty South Lake Tahoe non-profits were given a share of $55,600 on Thursday, bringing the total the American Century Golf Championships have donated to the community this year to $107,100.

A panel of mental health experts will address the impact of suicide, drug overdose, depression and other issues affecting people in South Lake Tahoe during a workshop on October 21 at the Lake Tahoe Community College from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Creekside Room.

There are a host of partners presenting this workshop to the community including
El Dorado County, Barton Health, Tahoe Youth & Family Services and the Tahoe Regional Young Professionals (TRYP).

Holly Greenough wasn't sure what to expect at Mt. Tallac High's first Family and Community Fair and Barbecue.

"I thought maybe five or six parents would come for our first year," said Greenough, the school's Director. Instead, 21 families and ten community members/groups participated.

"The kids were excited to bring their parents, and the parents were grateful," said Greenough.

Ready to get "color"ful? Ready to have fun, a little outdoor exercise and help the local community while at it?

Tahoe Youth & Family Services (TYFS) has held South Lake Tahoe area colors in the past, but this is the first year they are adding a COLORBLAST! Fun Run in the Carson Valley into the mix.

On Saturday, August 13 they are holding their annual fun run from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. during the Carson Valley Medical Center Health Fest. The center is located at
1107 Highway 395 in Gardnerville, NV.

Each year the Tahoe Douglas Rotary Club holds their signature fundraiser, the St. Patrick's Day Celebration, and because of this they are able to give away tens of thousands of dollars in scholarships, grants and gifts to members of the community.

On Friday, local non-profits were handed the fruits of the Rotarian's labor at their annual community donation day.

This year, the following groups received a donation either at the meeting or during the school year:
Zephyr Cove Elementary School
Boy Scouts Troop 468
Boy Scouts Troop 594
WHittell High Boosters

Since 2003 there has been Leadership Lake Tahoe and a few hundred people can now say they've graduated from this worthwhile program. What started as an annual joint venture between the two Chambers of Commerce that served the South Shore is now a biennial leadership experience.

I was a member of Leadership Lake Tahoe in 2006 and I can say that it changed my life.

When children are removed from their homes and put into foster care, it is most likely the worst day of their life. Foster children are kids who have to be taken from their homes due to some sort of safety risk, such as abuse, neglect, parental incarceration, or illegal activity in the household. When a community does not have enough homes to accommodate for foster youth, the children have to move to the closest available foster home, often times being several hours away.

Soroptimist International of Tahoe Sierra recently awarded 14 worthy organizations, projects, and programs with funding from their Community Grant program. The mission of the organization is to “Strengthen and enhance the lives of women and youth in our community and the world.”

The following organizations/programs/projects best aligned with this mission according the the Soroptimists: Between Horses and Humans, Bijou Kindergarten Adventure Introduction, Bijou 5th Grade Enrichment Field Trip, Health Talents

The most innovative South Shore businesses will exhibit at the 2015 Business EXPO: Innovation in the Basin on Friday, March 27. The largest business and networking event of the year, Tahoe Chamber’s Business EXPO includes 100 local businesses ranging from restaurants and resorts to recreation providers to retailers. The event includes food and drink tastings, giveaways and a new networking lounge sponsored by the City of South Lake Tahoe, Winters Construction Group and Red Carpet Events and Design.

In an effort to better serve the homeless youth under the age of 24 in the South Lake Tahoe community, Tahoe Youth and Family Services is having a free BBQ and annual Homeless County.

Tahoe Youth & Family Services is hosting their fifth annual Night of Giving 4:30-6:30 p.m. Dec. 18 at their South Lake Tahoe office at 1021 Fremont Avenue.

The night is used as an opportunity for the community to learn about what TYFS does and to help them out both financially and with items needed by the homeless youth they serve.

There will be light refreshments.

What are the first thoughts that go through your mind when you see a youth on the streets? How did they get there, where are their parents, and are they safe? It’s disturbing to realize that between 1.6 and 2.8 million youth run away annually. Most youth who run away do so because of threatening environments at home, such as physical/verbal abuse, substance abuse issues, questions of sexual orientation, or escaping state care. Unfortunately, by choosing to run away, they further subject themselves to threatening situations that impede their progress in life.

The South Tahoe Drug Free Coalition (STDFC) was formed in 2012 by Tahoe Youth and Family Services in collaboration with key community partners. Some of these community partners include the South Tahoe Police Department, El Dorado County Public Health, and Lake Tahoe Unified School District.

Studies show that an average of 4.6% of a population are in need of services to treat a serious mental illness at any given time. That number doubles in a population where people live below 200% of the poverty level (an annual income of $23,340 for 1 person, $47,700 for a family of 4 for example).

With the current population of El Dorado County at approximately 181,000, that means anywhere between 8,329 and 16,114 people are in need of Mental Health Services.

The facts are startling, and, for lack of a better work, sobering. Studies show that 11% of all alcohol consumed in the U.S. is done so by youth aged 11 to 20, below the legal drinking age.

Alcohol is the most commonly used and abused drug among youth in the United States, more than tobacco and illicit drugs according to the Center for Disease Control, and is responsible for more than 4,300 annual deaths among underage youth.

The 2011 Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that among high school students, during the past 30 days:

39% drank some amount of alcohol.
22% binge drank.

A record-breaking 100 businesses will participate in the 2014 Business EXPO –“Tahoe South in ACTION” this Friday, March 28. The event begins at 4:30pm and continues until 8:30pm in Harrah’s Lake Tahoe Convention Center. It will highlight South Shore businesses’ goods and services to an anticipated crowd of 1,200 attendees.

The following vendors will exhibit:

A Hand at Home
Acker RV Rentals
Alpine Smith Snow Removal and Driveway Sealing
American Legion Post 795
Bank of the West
Barton Memorial Hospital
Beach Hut Deli
Beach Retreat and Lodge Tahoe

Melody Easton is here to make a difference. Recently tapped as the coordinator for the South Tahoe Drug Free Coalition, the action oriented Easton has hit the ground running.

Tahoe Youth & Family Services was awarded a Federal Drug Free Communities grant, bringing in $125,000 for each of the next five years to help combat drug and alcohol abuse among the youth of South Lake Tahoe. Once the grant was awarded a coordinator needed to be hired. Easton was hired and the Concordia College graduate and her husband packed up and moved from Portland, Oregon.

Are you concerned with South Lake Tahoe’s party and drug culture and want to help decide how a new grant can be used to create lasting change in our community? Be a part of the solution and join other community members who want to provide change around drinking and drug use for youth in our community.

Are you, or do you know, a high school student that is interested in learning more about science? Would you like to add a great experience onto your college resume while having a great time?

High school students interested in science can apply for the Youth Science Institute (YSI) program by January 10th, 2014. This afterschool program is offered on Wednesday evenings from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Tahoe Center for Environmental Sciences in Incline Village beginning January 22nd and running through May, 2014.

Tahoe Youth and Family Services is hosting their Annual Evening of Giving on December 11 at the agency's offices at 1021 Fremont Avenue in South Lake Tahoe. Refreshments will be served at the event which is from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm.

The agency has a wish list oh in-kind donations for the holidays:

Items for clients:

Hand warmers
Warm sleeping bags
Winter boots (adult sizes)
Winter coats (adult sizes)
winter gloves or heavy duty mittens (adult sizes)
knit hats and beanies
Tents (new or gently used)
Men's boxers (adult size small)

Tahoe Youth & Family Services announces the resignation of Executive Director, Alissa Nourse. Nourse leaves the agency after nine years of exceptional work to accept a position with Alpine County as the Director of Behavioral Health, Alpine County, California.

Under Ms. Nourse's guidance the agency has steadily grown now providing services in South Lake Tahoe, Douglas County, Incline Village and Alpine County. The budget has grown from $450,000 to $1,600,000 allowing the agency to expand services and locations.