Danny's Place Youth Services Case for Support 2022

a place for young people to connect, inspire, and grow www.dannys place.org

Looking Ahead:

The Next 20 Years

In the past, our program delivery has evolved from drop in centric to program centric. Our new format will be heart centric: focused on caring for others and ourselves Heart centric programming allows us to connect to our hearts and not just our minds, resulting in happier and healthier lives.

Over the past 20 years, our mission to help youth has remained steady. We are being called to be more visible in our community resulting in the need for a larger space, more programming and resources.

In these unprecedented times, we find many youth are struggling in different ways. Danny’s Place is a welcoming place where kids can belong. It is a safe place for youth to express themselves. We are excited about our new space and the additional programming and resources we will be offering to meet the needs of the community.

Cindy McCarthy Co Founder and Board Chair

With Danny's Place

In 2023 we mark the 20th year of the Danny’s Place vision – to serve the youth of ActonBoxborough by providing them with a safe space and programming to socialize, explore their interests, and discover their leadership potential.

Since our beginnings, we have grown our direct programming, become an influential community leader, and created a library of online resources for young people and their families.

Our History

2004 incorporated as a 501c3 organization in response to community feedback

2003 steering committee forms

2006 youth drop in center opens on ABRSD Campus

2014 program centric model in new West Acton Villageworks space opens

2023

Larger, new heart centric community anchoring space scheduled to open

Is At the Heart of What We Do COMMUNITY

We are more than the space inside our walls, we are a community. Danny's Place is dedicated to supporting children and teens in Acton Boxborough in a variety of ways. From our direct programming to our collaborative efforts and committee work, we support our community through three Levels of Impact.

Our in house programs allows to us reach youth over continuous and engaging small group sessions focused on important topic areas and life skills lessons. Our community initiatives are open to all Acton Boxborough residents, and include special events, speaker series, and prevention trainings Our ongoing, active involvement in coalitions, on committees, councils, and through resource networks, allows us to share our learnings and perspective to inform policy shaping efforts that affect our entire community.

DANNY?

Our organization is named after Danny McCarthy, who tra died in a car accident in 2003. Danny knew that there wa to life than perfect academics He gave his best effort to everything sports, music, art, and, most importantly, bein a brother, and a friend. His appreciation for the people in and the lives they created together was something that e loved about him. And something none could forget. Days death, Danny’s family and friends gathered to find a way his spirit alive. They decided to create a space in his mem where, just as Danny had drawn his own small communit together in life, young people could come to connect and together. In March 2006, with an outpouring of commun support, Danny’s Place opened its doors

PolicyShaping

CommunityInitiatives

In House Programming

Our in house programs currently reach young people in grades 3 through 12 From running clubs to crafting to financial literacy and everything in between, we are committed to providing these classes at no or low cost to participants With the generous help of our supporters, we can ensure our programs are accessible to every child and teen in the community we serve

In-House Program Core Focus Areas

Mental Health & Wellness

Self Exploration & Life Skills

Leadership & Community Building

Local Parent

We provide young people with experiences to explore, create, and discover their happiest, healthiest selves through inclusive community programming, social emotional experiences, and supportive resources

I wish more people knew this was available...even for the parents! It feels safe, fun, and good to know there are places doing something good for children."

Why Danny's Place

The call to action is clear and loud: our community needs Danny’s Place's unique approach in order to meet the needs of our young people and their families.

More than ever, creating opportunities for youth that foster a sense of belonging and help to build their self confidence are essential to well being and success in life. While previous generations had cigarette smoking, drinking and driving, and teenage pregnancy, today’s youth have a new set of health threats in addition, including rising diagnoses of anxiety and depression, ongoing self harm, and suicide attempts

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics have declared a national emergency in the state of children’s mental health While there is insufficient research to correlate the causes directly, experts have cited a mix of social media use, lack of sleep and exercise, and a decline of in-person time with friends as contributing factors in creating “a kind of cognitive implosion anxiety, depression, compulsive behaviors, self harm and even suicide”* for young people who do not yet possess the coping skills needed to process so much information coming at them

The 2022 Youth Risk Behavior Survey a census by Emerson Hospital of students grades 6-12 in ten local school districts (including ActonBoxborough) affirms that this generation of children and teens is struggling with new challenges compared to past generations. According to the survey:

Young people are significantly more likely to have experienced bullying compared to pre pandemic times.

20% of young people in grades 6-12 report harming oneself on purpose.

Youth in all grades are experiencing higher levels of stress from events or pressure at home.

A less critical but more chronic issue also exists one we hear repeatedly from kids: the ongoing pressure to reach excellence in academics and other pursuits and competition with their peers Children and teens need a safe space to be themselves, and to explore who they are in a supportive environment.

& Why Now

Our Beacon of Hope 20th Anniversary Campaign aims to strengthen Danny’s Place as a guiding light for our youth for the next 20 years, and beyond. With the help of our supporters, we will:

Continue to provide a safe and joyful space where kids can be kids, and grow to serve even more young people in Acton-Boxborough

Increase our advocacy work to strengthen our role as a community connector and a voice for young people.

Serve as a vibrant community anchor through our new multi faceted physical space.

Position ourselves as thought leaders and advocates for youth everywhere, especially in Acton Boxborough and surrounding areas.

proactively allowing kids to make space for healthy social interactions, selfexploration, and learning in a non-competitive environment will help them find the balance to succeed in school and other pursuits. Our unique program suite provides opportunities that build the confidence and emotional intelligence required to become our next generation of leaders.

Danny's Place Programs: The

It's up to us to support our young people across three core areas of need. Through our three core focus areas, we offer signature and collaborative programming to improve the lives of young people in our community, giving them the tools they need to thrive.

Develop healthy habits for lifelong physical and mental wellness

Provide a support structure for struggling young people

Create connections that reinforce self worth and a capacity to manage challenges

"I love that you can just join Danny's Place by being a part of the community. It’s inviting and welcoming."

-Program participant

Find and use one's voice in a supportive environment

Learn to make a positive impact through self designed community service projects

Build confidence, deepen understanding of one's passions, and discover potential to be a helpful and successful community member

Solution to the Challenge We Face

Our programs offer engaging ways for youth to discover important topic areas and life skills lessons that often do not make their way into the school curriculum or can be challenging to address strategically at home. In all our efforts, we believe in supporting the whole family. Whether a social-emotional creative arts program for elementary schoolers or a year long community service project designed by a high schooler, we also equip caregivers with information and resources to support their children.

Provide a safe space to explore different activities, learn new skills, and connect with peers in a non-competitive way

Place social emotional learning at the core of curriculum

Provide opportunities to explore different modalities & themes of focus

Foster self advocacy skills and respect for others while having fun and learning

Campaign Vision

Over the past several years we have steadily received requests to do more for our kids; to be more active in our community Now, we have reached a critical moment.

As Danny's sister, I have found much meaning and purpose in carrying this organization forward. By blending my professional experience in the fields of mental health and expressive arts, as well as experience in working with youth, I understand the complexities facing this generation of young people This growth campaign is the next natural step in our journey to care for our kids.

In reflecting on the last twenty years and all we have become as an organization, I often recall the spirit of our beginning: our founders' commitment to honor Danny's kind nature, and Danny's affinity for bringing people together I am deeply motivated to carry on the mission and vision of Danny's Place for the next generation of Acton Boxborough families.

I am excited to see where the next twenty years will take us, and I look forward to your partnership in that journey.

With gratitude,

Katie Gorczyca, LMHC Executive Director

Through Beacon of Hope we strive for a community where our youth feel supported and have the resources they need to be their happiest, healthiest selves.

=

to

our new space

programs to meet demand

operations to meet community need over the next five years.

"Danny's Place to me will always mean where I go to spend some quality time to improve myself and help other people at the same time. It's really cool when you find something when you're volunteering and it helps you grow and you help other people in the process!"

LAUNCH: The Space

543 Massachusetts Ave, Acton

High visibility, central location in West Acton Villageworks, a community of locally owned businesses

Opportunities for broader community engagement Walkable from a majority of the schools in the district

The new space will allow us to run programs concurrently, and therefore provide more sections and more frequent sessions of our waitlisted programs.

With your generous support, we will:

Move into our new home, with 8x the square footage of our current space (approximately 5,000 square feet) Fit out the new space to give it the same warm, welcoming and inclusive environment that so many love about Danny's Place.

Parent of Participant

"She said that she feels that Danny's Place is her second home."

First floor:

A welcoming, vibrant lobby with a front desk and check in area

Four unique program spaces, allowing for concurrent classes

A private meeting room for student small group work or staff discussions

Separate office space for Executive Director and team to efficiently conduct administrative work and planning sessions

Second floor:

Multiple additional program spaces under light filled steepled ceilings

A quiet circle nook for small group wellness sessions

Built in workspaces for group work and projects

Plus, additional outdoor space for community events and program extension.

My child always looked forward to and loved going to Danny's Place every week. It was a unique experience, there isn't really anything else like it out there.

Parent of Participant

EXPAND: Our Programs

With your generous support, we will:

the total number of youth we serve by 6x (from approx 600 to over 3,700, annually), representing a saturation of 62% of young people in our community Grow the total number of programs we offer by 3x

As a result of our Growth Campaign, by 2027 2028 our direct reach will expand 6x and will allow us to serve thousands more through an online resource library and increased advocacy work.

you think of a place where kids can just come without being judged or criticized it would be Danny's Place. They can just come here and learn about other kids and

it's a safe place. It means a lot to me that we have this in our community. Sometimes just having fun is something kids need to do."

Parent of Program Participant

SUSTAIN: Our Mission

Danny’s Place will continue to be responsive to the needs of young people in our community, across the design, content, and delivery of our programs.

Imagine a community space where ...

Kids can explore the wide variety of program offerings, all with the central focus of meeting their individual needs, and safely supporting their development.

Families and community members attend a showcase of youth led community action projects, celebrating youth leadership and highlighting youth voices in our expansive new space

Families find the resources to support their kids in times of crisis.

Young people emerge from a program with smiles of belonging on their faces.

Every member of a family can find a program or resources to address their questions and interests

With your generous support, we will:

Increase our operating budget to 2.5x its current level, and add staff and programming resources to match this growth

Increase funding partnerships and opportunities

Ensure our programs stay affordable and accessible to everyone

Our Beacon of Hope campaign will allow us to expand our unique programming and community resources to serve more young people in Acton Boxborough and become a guiding light for youth everywhere. We call upon your leadership and generosity to seize this opportunity to create a lasting legacy for your community.

"He felt comfortable and welcome walking in the door. He was immediately part of the group."

-Parent of Participant

Make a donation or a multi year pledge Sponsorship opportunities are available, including naming partnerships within the new space.

Providing a community anchor where kids can be together, be safe, and get support in a welcoming and inclusive space

Building the capacity of our expert team

Designing and delivering more of our innovative programs to address the core needs of young people

a place for young people to connect, inspire, and grow www dannys place org