Dear Friends and Supporters,

         First things, first... THANK YOU to everyone who came out to our Spooky Family Movie Night Fundraiser, hosted by our Board President, Marilyn York. We raised over $6,000 and had a fantastic time. 

          Now that the spooky fun is done, we are starting to plan for the holidays. We've secured sponsorships for our Thanksgiving celebration - BIG thanks to Rosalyne Reynolds and Scarlett Ewy - and we have already started working on Christmas wish lists. We are still looking for Christmas sponsorships totaling $1,000 to cover purchasing our holiday dinner, décor, special items, and remaining gifts. Please reach out if you would like to help!

          We recently had a couple of great videos made about NYEP. The first is a profile of the program by local journalist Bill Frankmore. This video dives deep into the struggles of some of our residents, as well as the passion of our staff and supporters. If you have ever wanted a deeper understanding of what we do at NYEP than what you get from our monthly newsletter, or are looking for inspiration to get involved with a great cause, please click to watch the video below. 

          The second video you can click to watch below is a walkthrough of the facility and explanation of the CLP, starring Grant Denton. This video is aimed at young women who might be in need of the services we provide at NYEP.

          As we enter into this holiday season, we wish you and yours happiness, health, and overwhelming feelings of love and gratitude. 

 
Thank you for reading and for being a part of our family,

Monica DuPea
Executive Director

• October 6th was our Halloween Costume Party YAB Meeting. While we enjoyed some Halloween fun, we also addressed the very serious subject of how COVID-19 is affecting youth in and aged out of the foster care system. We also participated in the Nevada state YAB meeting via conference call on October 13th.
• On October 19th, we carved pumpkins to make our porch festive for Halloween!
• Several NYEP residents participated in a youth employment event with SAFF, in which they discussed barriers to employment and participated in mock interviews.
• On October 23rd, Zonta Club donated an E-ticket to NYEP with a link to the short films featured in this year's Lunafest Film Festival. We really missed being there in person with them this year, but it was great to see all of the thought-provoking films from the comfort of home. Thank you Zonta Club!
• On October 25th, the residents learned how to make faux stained glass using glue and acrylic paint!
• Our Spooky Family Movie Night on October 29th was a great success! So many families came out to enjoy the movie, and the NYEP residents had fun passing out candy to all the cars. Thank you to Marilyn York for putting on this event and thank you to everyone who came out to support us. We made over $6,000 for the program!
• Roz continues to lead self-care groups via Zoom on Mondays.
• River cleanups continue each Tuesday, in partnership with the Karma Box Project.
• Teresa Walkerley continues to deliver Creating Your Brand via Zoom on Wednesdays. She also provides one-on-one coaching sessions for residents who are interested. Our residents are so lucky to have her professional services and support. 
• On Tuesday and Thursday mornings, Cindy engages residents with games and group outings.
• On Wednesdays, NYEP residents do yoga in their rooms with Facebook videos provided by local yoga instructor, Jen Haddix.
• On Wednesdays, Nina hands does Growth Mindset activities with residents and hands out assignments.
• On Sundays, residents meet with Monica for a house meeting and personal assignments.
• Sunday is also Family Day with Nina!

Here are some photos from our adventures


Porch pumpkins!


Residents posing with their incentives after participating in the SAFF event


Britney has been looking for her pet lizard, but all she can seem to find is this winged dragon.


A faux stained glass outline


A finished product


Ready for Spooky Family Movie Night!


Hosted by Marilyn York, NYEP Board President and Drive-in Movie Maven


Marilyn and Monica doing a local news interview


Nina gets in on the news action. Also, there's a chicken.


It's okay, she's with Marilyn.


Thank you to everyone who came out!

Halloween Holes for Housing — November 1st

This event has passed as of publishing time. Stay tuned in the next newsletter for more info on how it went! 

Youth Advisory Board — November 11th

November's meeting will focus on planning the 2021 Washoe County Homeless Youth Point in Time Count. Members will also write about their experience of being in foster care during the holidays.

Thanksgiving Baking Day — November 24th

Holiday baking days are a tradition at NYEP. We've had to let go of a lot of our normal ways of doing things, so we are really looking forward to something that feels warm and familiar - and tastes delicious!

Thanksgiving— November 26th

Thanksgiving is such a special holiday for us. Unlike many youth residential programs, our staff comes in on Thanksgiving to cook and enjoy a meal with residents rather than sending residents away or having temporary staff come in. Residents take part in planning and preparing the meal and are welcome to invite guests to the celebration. This year, more than ever, we are all grateful for what we have, and for each other, and we can't wait to celebrate that!

Meal Prepping with Nina — Mondays

NYEP residents are always looking to grab a quick bite, but that doesn't always leave room for healthy choices. Nina is teaching residents how to prep healthy meals for the week so there is always something fast and nutritious to grab.

Self Care with Roz Reynolds — Mondays via Zoom

Roz Reynolds continues her weekly Zoom meetings with residents. 

River Cleanup with Karma Box Project — Tuesdays

NYEP residents team up with Grant Denton weekly for a river cleanup. Our efforts help to create a cleaner and more pleasant environment for both our housed and houseless neighbors. 

Creating Your Brand with Teresa — Wednesdays via Zoom

Just because we're being socially distant doesn't mean we can't be self-aware. Teresa's workshops have transitioned seamlessly to the web. Teresa is also mentoring several residents one-on-one.

Games and activities with Cindy — Tuesdays and Thursdays

On Tuesday and Thursday mornings, Cindy engages residents with games, growth mindset activities, and group outings, either via Zoom or in person. 

Growth Mindset Group with Nina — Wednesdays

What does it mean to have a growth mindset? It means recognizing and engaging with your own potential to learn and grow, taking criticism as a learning opportunity, and facing challenges head-on. Having a growth mindset is what helps NYEP's residents let go of limiting beliefs and break the cycles that have kept them stagnant. It's what allows them to grow and succeed in their quest for independence! 

House Meeting and Personal Assignments with Monica — Sunday Mornings

At House Meeting, residents share any house concerns, whether maintenance-related, or a privacy issue, to be addressed by staff. Afterward, Monica hands out personal assignments because there's always room for growth!

Family Day — Sunday

Our weekly Family Day is a chance for us to spend time having fun together. Whether we're hiking, cooking, playing games, or watching movies, we love the chance to unwind and bond with each other. 

We get a lot of requests for needs lists, so here is a list of things that would make life at NYEP easier right now!

Operating Funds - NYEP is in need of operating funds so that we can continue to deliver relationship-based programming with support from professional adults. Please consider making a donation to our high performing housing program and help a young woman break her cycle of poverty.

Christmas Sponsor ($1,000) - Despite the pandemic and many events not being able to occur the way they normally would, we intend to provide our residents with a traditional family baking day and dinner for the Thanksgiving holiday. Please contact Monica at (775)240-2195 if you would like to help. 

Token Incentives -  At the CLP, we operate on a points, or "token," system. To some, a points system at a young adult independent living program may sound odd or like it is meant for kids, but we believe it helps us teach older youth the realities of adult life - namely, we do what we have to do so that we can do what we want to do. Our residents earn points for all of the positive and productive things they do while at NYEP and then cash them in for privileges and wanted items such as bus passes, phone payments, gift cards, special items, outings, and extended curfews. If you would like to support the token system by donating gift cards, movie passes, bus passes, or monthly memberships, please call us at (775)747-2073.

Handyperson - NYEP is in need of a volunteer handyperson to address small issues at our CLP and affordable housing location, both in the University area. If you're handy, have your own tools, and can volunteer 1-2 days per week, please contact Monica at (775)240-2195.

NYEP is more than just a home — it’s a family. We thank you from the bottoms of our hearts for everything you have done and will do in the future. It means so much to us.

Thanks For Your Consideration!

          NYEP is currently taking applications and moving in qualified applicants after a quarantine period. To inquire, please contact Monica at (775)240-2195.