Why I Donate
The Link (formerly Medard’s House) provides a place for Youth after school and accepts online donations.
Upon checking in, we ask the kids to surrender their cell phones. We can only actively engage our youth once they are fully unplugged. Students are then free to engage in any positive activity to unwind and unburden themselves from the day’s demands. They may choose physical sports such as basketball, foosball, billiards, or our climbnasium, or perhaps a quiet board or card game or music. Some students may need help to complete homework or understand a particular class. We have caring mentors on hand to offer homework help or lend a listening ear if invited.
Next, we always have a prepared and relaxed lesson for students. It could be learning fun life skills such as cooking, patching drywall, changing a tire, knitting, or volunteering at a food bank. Our lesson could be spiritually designed to teach youth that “to err is human,” and God’s forgiveness is unwavering. Whatever our method or message, our lessons are created with love and always with the fragile psyche of teens in mind.
Finally, no child ever leaves The Link hungry. We provide a full family-style meal and save no leftovers! Any extra food goes home with our kids for siblings or other family members.
In today’s two-income, single-parent, multigenerational homes, oftentimes families need more means or time to gather around the table at mealtimes. The Link ensures this happens when the kids are in our care. We serve a sit-down, blessed with grace, family-style meal shared around the table.
All are welcome at The Link. Everything we do at the Center 4 YOUth is FREE of charge. No one is ever questioned regarding their family income or ability to pay. We welcome all teens into The Link with the same spirit anyone would welcome a loved one into their home. We feed and love every kid who walks through our doors like family–period.
