Reaching out to help children

“This funding from the state of Connecticut announces to each and every young person in our community that they matter.”­— HYSB Executive Director Nicholas Pohl Few things are as important as letting young people know how much they mean to their communities. Their talent and enthusiasm can change the way their elders see the world and inspire change for the better like nothing else can. So supporting them when they encounter difficulties in their young lives is also of the utmost importance.The mission of the Housatonic Youth Service Bureau “is to create a supportive environment and empowering experiences where children and young adults can embrace their full potential as individuals, as students, as family members and as community members.” Since its founding in 1991, many Northwest Corner families have benefited from the services provided by the agency. This is of particular significance because in this rural area there are few places to which young people can turn for help when they need it. The HYSB acts as a crucial and accessible support, one that children can approach directly from their schools. Now, the HYSB needs to raise money for a capital campaign so they can move into a new physical home on the campus of Housatonic Valley Regional High School. It has been in the white house to the right of the high school’s entrance, which has been been deemed inappropriate for such use. It has lived a good use of the school’s garage space, though, with the renovations as planned, and will put the agency right in the middle of the campus, rather than on the outskirts. But it will cost money, a challenge for an agency that lacks an endowment and has been living year to year for decades. HYSB will use this opportunity to try to raise enough money through a $750,000 capital campaign to renovate the new space and to create an endowment, giving the agency long-term stability. Pohl has been traveling to selectmen’s meetings at each of the Region One towns, asking for donations of $10,000 from each to kickstart the campaign. Each town is trying to do its part, understanding the essential services the HYSB provides for its residents. He has been presenting drawings of the plans for the new space in the brick garage building. Those plans have now been unanimously approved by the Region One Board of Education, and a state grant, to which he refers in the quote above, of $320,500 has been added to the funding to help ensure the project will move forward.Kudos to all who have worked hard to make this move come closer to reality, especially to Pohl, who believes so strongly in the agency’s mission and implements it so well. The HYSB is an asset to the Region One community that should not be taken for granted. It deserves the support of all who believe that young people who need a helping hand to get through some tough times should be able to find it to move forward to become happier and more productive adults. To see more about their many programs and to donate, go to www.hysb.org.