As the summer winds on, we’re so proud of our YOTO Family for continuing to support YOTO youth during the COVID-19 outbreak. One member of our family – Reyna Peery – even found a creative way to fundraise for YOTO students while simultaneously providing lasting memories for other high school seniors! Reyna is a local [...]
With over 2,000 students at over 100 schools (and only 28 staff members), YOTO’s work would not be possible without the dedication, commitment, and kindness of all our YOTO school liaisons! These amazing individuals are at the heart of YOTO’s program, identifying and advocating on behalf of YOTO youth, distributing stipend checks and basic needs [...]
The YOTO family stands in solidarity with the Black community against systemic racism, white supremacy, and the horrible injustices we’ve witnessed in recent weeks, and for far too long. We grieve for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and the countless other Black lives taken without justice for them and their families. We acknowledge that [...]
Gary Hickey is the chef-partner at Charro Steak, Charro del Rey, and Charrovida. He is a former YOTO alumnus, graduating in the early 1990s. The food service industry has faced significant challenges since the COVID-19 outbreak. Restaurants have had to adapt to changing local and state public health policies in order to [...]
Pictured: Rowena O’Haver (left) and Jennifer Wilson (right) stand in front of a Ben’s Bells “be kind” mosaic mural after Jennifer received her Ben’s Bell Award. Jennifer Wilson, a sixth grade teacher at Ironwood Elementary School, teaches the importance of kindness and empathy to her students and leads by example each and every [...]
“I did not know it back then, but during those eight years that I lived without my family, I had my oxygen mask on and I focused on survival. And during those same eight years, I had to watch helplessly the pain and hurt that it caused my family to be apart.” - Elizabeth Camarillo [...]
Deja Foxx is a force to be reckoned with. At just 20 years old, this activist, organizer, Ivy League student, founder of GenZ Girl Gang, and an Influencer and Surrogate Strategist and youngest staffer on a presidential campaign has big plans to change the world for the better and become the future POTUS – and [...]
With schools closed and most businesses either reducing their hours or ceasing operations altogether, it’s safe to say that our entire community is feeling the effects of COVID-19. Our YOTO students are no exception. In addition to the challenges they are facing with school closures, YOTO kids are finding themselves out of work and in [...]
At every YOTO luncheon, we appeal to our YOTO Family to help us ease some of the burdens our youth face. We issue a special challenge to everyone in the audience – make a gift to YOTO before Friday, March 13 and steadfast YOTO supporters Buzz Petersen and Robbie Willingham will match it dollar-for-dollar up [...]
The ever-expanding YOTO Family is made up of students, staff, volunteers, school liaisons, donors, members of the local media and business communities, and more! Every single person who has supported YOTO has done their part to make it possible for youth experiencing homelessness to graduate high school and pursue their dreams! YOTO volunteer and retired [...]