Happy Valentine’s Day, from all of us at Spectrum. Today and every day, we are so grateful that people like you open your hearts to our youth, to make sure they have a safe place to be, a supportive community, and the help they need to thrive.

Thank you for keeping our youth in your heart.

With love and gratitude,
The Spectrum Team

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Charlie and Winston Smith choose their bowls.

What follows is a note from our Executive Director, Mark Redmond.

Thank you to all who joined us at the Empty Bowl Dinner on October 12th.

I was awestruck by the compassion and caring you showed for our youth. I am so grateful that our young people can rely on you to offer a hand when the going gets tough.

As René said that night, “Spectrum is about creating that sense of family. It is about creating a sense of community and knowing that we are loved and supported. And that there are youth and staff and, also, wonderful people like you out here who are supporting us every day. And I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for what you are doing.”

Thanks to you, we raised $68,400 that night—$15,000 from the giving board alone! And because of the generosity of all who donated food and services to the event, almost all of the money raised will go directly to helping our youth build their own success.

Thank you for being a part of such a great night.

With gratitude,

Mark Redmond

Empty Bowl volunteers and Spectrum staff at the end of the night.

The post Thank you for a great Empty Bowl! appeared first on Spectrum Youth & Family Services.

“I myself feel very guilty and a failure as parent because I knew this could happen to him. I talked to him about it several times…” she wrote. “But talking and a good family weren’t enough.”

You can read Mark’s response in the Washington Post here. And let us know your thoughts.

If you know a young person 12-30 who needs help with their addiction, our counselors can help. Call (802) 864-7423 x310 or click here to make an appointment.

The post The words you never want to hear a parent say appeared first on Spectrum Youth & Family Services.

“When you call someone an addict, it reduces them to just that,” said Mark Redmond, our ED. “But it’s just one element of their being — they’re a mother or a brother or a student.”

Here’s the story from the Burlington Free Press.

Photo: Associated Press

If you know someone who’s struggling with substance use or addiction, our counselors can help. Call (802) 864-7423 x310.

The post Talking about addiction? Word choice matters. appeared first on Spectrum Youth & Family Services.

“…extraordinary educators believe that, more than academics, it is love, empathy and life skills that give at-risk students command of their own futures. This coming-of-age story watches education combat the crippling effects of poverty on the lives of these so-called ‘bad kids.'”

Please join us on Monday, March 6th for a FREE local premiere of The Bad Kids, a film by Keith Fulton and Lou Pepe.

The screening begins at 7 PM at Main Street Landing, and is followed by a panel discussion including our Executive Director, Mark Redmond.

A very special thanks to Vermont PBS for making this event possible. Questions? Call (802) 864-7423 x351.

What: The Bad Kids local premiere
Where: Main Street Landing, 60 Lake St., Burlington, VT.
When: Monday, March 6th, 7 PM.
Cost: Free!

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From our ED, Mark . . .

I wanted you to see this video—it’s fun to watch and does a good job explaining the impact you have on our youth.

I’d love to know what you think. Let me know in the comments below.

Thank you for keeping our doors open,

Mark Redmond
Executive Director

The post The Doors You Keep Open appeared first on Spectrum Youth & Family Services.

This is a letter from Mark, our Executive Director.

The snow has fallen and the darkness comes early each night. Young people who are homeless or at-risk of becoming homeless need us more than ever—this winter, and into the future.

The good news is, you can help! Join us in sleeping outside overnight in solidarity with our youth while raising funds to support them, and you can make sure teens and young adults have a place to go when the wind starts to bite.

The Executive Sleep Out will be Thursday, March 23rd, and the Student Sleep Out is March 23rd-26th.

Can you stand in solidarity with our youth and sleep out this year? Register now and let our youth know you’ve got their back.

With gratitude,

Mark Redmond
Executive Director

The post Can you unroll your sleeping bag? appeared first on Spectrum Youth & Family Services.

Eva Sollberger of Seven Days’ Stuck in Vermont visited our Drop-In Center last week and made this video about how your support is changing lives.

Watch to get a glimpse of our Drop-In Center and the work you’re making possible there.

“It is a huge relief to not have to worry about where your next meal is coming from,” said one young person.

As one youth put it, “You’re going to have good food, good nutrition, and they also provide clothing and hygiene products and showers and laundry, and it’s just so nice to know you have a place where you want to be in, because it’s a nice place. It’s a very safe community.”

The Drop-In Center is open seven days a week, thanks to you.

Thank you for your support and for believing in our young people.

If you’d like to sign up to help, visit our volunteer page.

The post “I’m grateful for second chances.” appeared first on Spectrum Youth & Family Services.

Thank you to all who came to our Empty Bowl Dinner on October 20th!

Our Executive Director, Mark Redmond, wanted to share this note with you about the evening:

The stories you heard that night, the quotes from our youth that you saw on the tables, they all underscore how tough the teenage and young adult years can be, especially when you start out with the deck stacked against you.

But I was so inspired to look around the room that night and see all of you showing up for our youth and letting them know you have their backs.

All told, we raised $57,000 that night thanks to YOU, $14,365 from the giving board alone, and because so much of the food and services were donated, almost all of that will go straight to helping our youth transform their lives.

From all of us, thank you for being a part of such a great night.

With gratitude,

Mark Redmond
Executive Director

P.S., you can see photos of the event on our Facebook page!

From left to right, celebrity soup servers Miss Vermont Rylee Field; TJ Donovan, Chittenden County State’s Attorney; Beth Sightler, Executive Director, Champlain Community Services; Craig Mitchell, DJ/Producer; Katharine Montstream, Artist; Rusty DeWees, Actor.

The post What a night! appeared first on Spectrum Youth & Family Services.

Thank you for cheering us on again this year at the Pride Parade and Festival through Burlington. The theme was “solidarity,” and we marched in solidarity with youth who identify as LGBT*.

Many Spectrum staff were there, and as the march progressed, many of the youth we work with joined in. And all of you on Church Street were so supportive. Thank you for being part of it.

Stephanie, who works in our JOBS program, shared this:

“Through my work with Spectrum, I’ve witnessed the disproportionate numbers of LGBT*–identified youth who experience homelessness and struggle with thoughts and attempts of suicide.

“The energy of the parade was incredible. There was an air of togetherness, love and acceptance which fit perfectly with this year’s theme of ‘solidarity.’

“I felt surrounded by people who felt free to be who they were and thrilled to see those around them doing the same.

“It filled my heart to see our youth walking in the parade with us and knowing that we were there to celebrate and affirm their identities.”

We are so grateful to have been part of the Pride Parade this year. See you next year!

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