This is a real letter that Sunnycrest case manager Tamika Wilson recently received from a former client: Hey Tamika, It has been sooo long. This is Tina*, an old client. You may or may not remember me it’s been so long but I was scrolling through my contacts list and ran across your name [...]

Vera Keener, supervisor of the Sunnycrest parenting program, is the current Betsy Forster Memorial Award winner. Sustained by one of YSI’s steadfast donors, who honors his wife’s memory through his annual gift, this award recognizes one of YSI’s stellar social workers each year. Vera has worked closely with countless parents during her eleven years with [...]

As soon as she moved to Philadelphia, Meline Gasparyan knew that she wanted to get involved with an organization that has a lasting impact on children and youth. Her friend Ajay Rewari, a YSI Board Member, brought her to our teen shelter, where she had a chance to talk with the youth about her career [...]

Aaminah and Daliyah have both lived at YES before – for Aaminah this is her second stay at the shelter and for Daliyah this is her third. They came to YES to get away from the abuse and neglect they suffered at home. After leaving, they found that other programs didn’t really understand what they needed. [...]

Diane’s* life changed dramatically in spring 2011. The mother of four adult children, she suddenly found herself caring for her granddaughters, three year old Talisha and six month old Tameka, when their mother, Natalie, couldn’t anymore. Natalie’s struggles with drugs and other issues had long made parenting difficult for her; Diane had raised Natalie’s fourteen [...]