Local teens participating in the Hopewell Valley YMCA’s Teen Leadership Program will be volunteering to serve meals at the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK) on Monday, March 5. The teens will also be bringing a donation of non-perishable food items and hygiene products that they have been collecting at the Hopewell Valley YMCA administrative offices and on site at the Y’s before- and after-school programs at each elementary school.
Donations are being accepted until March 5. Community members interested in supporting the teens and TASK are encouraged to bring packaged food items (no glass jars, please) or personal care products such as soap, shampoo, or toothbrushes to the YMCA offices at 62 S. Main Street in Pennington. All items will be delivered to TASK and shared with those in need in the Trenton area.
This service project is one of several community initiatives led by the Y’s teens. Hopewell Valley Teen Leaders meet each month at the Y’s Youth Activity Center, also known as the YAC. The group is for teens wishing to make a difference in their community. Group activities are driven by the teens and are centered around the goals of leadership training, personal growth, service to others, and social development. Teens interested in participating in this or other YMCA activities are encouraged to contact the Y.
“It is amazing to watch the next generation of Hopewell Valley’s leaders step up like this to develop, plan, and implement a service project and support our neighbors who are served by TASK,” said Hopewell Valley YMCA board president, Ryan Kennedy. “We are blessed to have teens with the heart to accomplish this, and I am thankful for the Y’s donors, benefactors, and corporate partners who allow our charity to provide our Teen Center and so many other programs to our community every day.”
Teens are also welcome to visit the YMCA’s YAC. This donor-supported, free teen center was designed by teens for teens and offers a safe, supervised space to gather and relax after school. Located on the first floor of the YMCA’s administrative offices in Pennington, the center is open to all Hopewell Valley teens in grades 6-12 from 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm, Monday through Friday.
About the Hopewell Valley YMCA: The Hopewell Valley YMCA is a charitable organization dedicated to building a healthy spirit, mind, and body through programs which promote good health, strong families, youth leadership and community development. Open to everyone regardless of economic circumstances, the Hopewell Valley YMCA provides financial assistance so that every family can partake in our numerous programs and services such as childcare, summer camp, sports, and Special Olympics programming. Through programs like the YMCA’s free Youth Activity Center (“the YAC”) for teens, family camping trips, Safety Town camp for area kindergarteners and community health and safety trainings, our Y is making a difference in the lives of Hopewell Valley families every day. For more information: visit ww.hvymca.org.
