Our Programs
Furniture and Household goods for transition age youth
Foster and other underserved youth who are transitioning to living on their own are referred to Make It Happen for Yolo County, where they complete a “wish list” of items our organization can provide. After returning it to our organization, the youth then comes to our storage units and is met by a Make it Happen memberwho has procured the necessary items. While there, the youth often will see and ask for additional items. Most request and are provided with living, dining and bedroom furniture, bathroom supplies (shower curtain, towels, bathmats), kitchen appliances and supplies (pots and pans, utensils, plates and glasses, food storage containers, toaster, iron, microwave, blender) as well as mattresses and cleaning supplies (vacuum cleaner, mop, broom).
Make It Happen volunteers David and Lynn
Independent Living Skills Program support
Make it Happen for Yolo County supports the Yolo County Independent Living Skills Program (ILSP). This program provides the opportunity for foster youth ages 14-21 in our county to develop the skills needed to transition to successfully living on their own through classes and activities. These range from health, cooking and nutrition to financial literacy and career exploration. Make It Happen provides funds to purchase gift cards which are used by the ILSP course coordinator as participation incentives, to help with transportation needs to the classes and to augment funding for specific ILSP classes. Additionally, Make It Happen offers an annual scholarship to an ILSP graduate who plans on continuing their education (see below).
Gift CARDS
Make it Happen gives each youth served two $50 gift cards to either Target or Walmart. As mentioned above, we also provide gift cards to the Yolo County Independent Living Skills Program.
Make it Happen for yolo county youth excellence award
Each June, a graduation is held for participants in Yolo County’s Independent Living Skills program. The graduating youth are celebrated for completing the living skills courses, graduating from high school and transitioning to adulthood. Make it Happen recognizes a youth each year with our excellence award which includes a $500 stipend. The award is given to a deserving youth based on academic merit, character and personal growth.
