June 1, 2023

When 13-year old Aidan met Youth Unlimited’s James Parlee, his world was full of turbulence. “I had a pretty rough family life,” says Aidan. “I had conflict with both parents and lived life half at my mom’s and half at my dad’s.” School was difficult. “I had a lot of emotional issues and had trouble keeping myself in check,” he continued. “In middle school, I would pick fights and got suspended multiple times. I had such a messy locker that I wasn’t allowed to have one anymore.” High school wasn’t any easier. “I wasn’t great at connecting with people; I...

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April 2, 2023

      Youth Unlimited would not exist today without our founding volunteers. Nor would it flourish without volunteers generously investing, supporting staff to help make it run. From cooks and bakers to snowboard instructors, from board members to compassionate listeners — the serving community is woven into YU’s fabric. This issue explores the inspiring stories of three incredible volunteers.       When she retired, Sylvia didn’t think twice about helping homeless youth at the MY House program in Mission. “The more adults these kids can rely on, the better,” says Sylvia, who was a high school receptionist for...

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November 1, 2022

Sharon Graham, a loving and dedicated grandmother, has helped her family weather life’s storms — and to say the last few years have been stormy is a big understatement. Her granddaughters, Ashley, who is part of Youth Unlimited’s Jesters Theatre program, and her sister Danielle, have had a front row seat to those challenges.        With the help of her husband, Ted, grandma Sharon has been a caregiver to the teens and their mom, Sherry, since 2003, when Danielle was born. During the pandemic, momma Sherry, who had already suffered a great deal in life, underwent multiple painful operations and eventually...

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August 31, 2022

For Virginie, a single mother of seven in Kigali, Rwanda, life often seemed hopeless. With little income and no family support, Virginie could only imagine small dreams for her children. For most low-income children in Rwanda education ends at grade six, so Virginie’s hopes for her children ended there. “I was young and alone in caring for my children and struggling for life,” she says. “I thought, if my children could read and write, then that would be enough for them.” That all changed in 2007 when Virginie learned of a school sponsorship program at YFC’s newly founded Kigali Christian...

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