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The Goods:
Kenneth Young Center Newsletter
The Goods: something of value - the inside story - what we promised to deliver
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UPCOMING EVENTS
August 4
Help make a difference and join us in a round of golf at Kenneth Young Center's annual golf outing!
Breakfast, lunch, raffles, split-the-pot, goody bags, golfing, socializing, fun and more!
Proceeds from this event will benefit mental health and senior services at KYC. Contact Fran Kirk with any questions about sponsorship benefits, contests, etc. at 847.524.8800 x103 or frank@kennethyoung.org. You can also learn additional information by visiting our website.
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August 18-20 Mark your calendars for a three-day, family fun, community event at Living Hope Church in Elk Grove Village. KYC will be showcased along with other community-based organizations. The event will include games, activities, concerts and more. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
September 17 Mark your calendars for Kenneth Young Center's annual Finding Solutions House Walk on Saturday, September 17. Multiples Elk Grove Village homeowners found solutions to problems within their homes (space, style, functionality, etc.) and are now sharing their stories and inviting you to see their homes. Please watch our upcoming newsletters and our website for more information about ticket purchasing, vendors and the homes.
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ARE YOU CONNECTED?
Are you looking for the latest information about Kenneth Young Center, events, resale shop sales, volunteer opportunities and more? Then connect with us on:
Facebook - "Like Us" on Facebook and be the first hear the latest.
Twitter - get up-to-date tweets from Kenneth Young Center (@KYC_egv).
LinkedIn - professionals from all over the northwest suburbs and the state of Illinois are connecting with us, you should too.
YouTube - see event and informational videos on YouTube.
Our Blog - check it out , subscribe and interact with us. Also, please email us with your suggestions for topics.
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SUPPORT GROUPS & EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
Health and Wellness for Adolescents Program
Adolescent participants will learn how proper nutrition, exercise and sleep will help with mood management, stress and anger. More Details
Parent Power Program
Learn positive parenting techniques instead of punishment to bring about, and increase positive behaviors. More Details
Support Groups for Children, Teens and Parents
Kenneth Young Center has a selection of support groups and programs available for children, teens and parents experiencing troublesome behaviors, depressive thoughts, ADHD and more. Additionally, there are teen mentoring, parent mentoring and group therapy programs available. To see a comprehensive list of programs and groups, check out the Child and Adolescent Section of our website.
Our Child and Adolescent Outpatient Team has been offering a three-part seminar to parents of children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). The first of these three seminars began in May and focused on the science of ADHD including the symptoms, how it is diagnosed, and treatments. The program has been a success and has already helped more than 40 families. If you would like more information about the ADHD seminars, please contact Christine Stryker at 847.524.8800 x161.
Take Charge of Your Health
This is a six-week program for adults with chronic health conditions. In these workshops, you will learn chronic disease self-management, and learn how to cope with fatigue, frustration, pain and isolation. More Details
Caregiver Support Group
If you provide care for a family member or a relative who depends on you for help with shopping, driving, personal care, medicines, finances, etc., please attend this support group. More Details
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Support Group
Please note, this group will not be meeting during the month of July! More Details
Powerful Tools for Caregivers
An educational program designed to help you - the caregiver - take care of yourself while taking care of your loved one. Learn more.
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VOLUNTEER HELP NEEDED
Kenneth Young Center collaborates with individual and group volunteers to provide direct service and support on many levels. Our volunteers are an essential component of the Kenneth Young Center team. We always have a broad selection of volunteer opportunities available. Contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Colette Young, at colettey@kennethyoung.org or at 847.524.8800 x182 if you are interested. We would like to extend a special thank you to all of our volunteers who have dedicated their personal time, talent, partnership and support to a greater cause.
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SUPPORT
We need your financial help too, and now there are several ways you can make a difference:
 Using isearch.igive.com
When searching the internet use www.isearch.igive.com. Its a search engine that makes a one cent donation to your favorite not-for-profit every time you use it. Register to make Kenneth Young Center your charity of choice.
OR
Making an online donation has never been easier, just click here and make a one-time or monthly donation to Kenneth Young Center. We will send you a donation tax receipt with our thank you message in return. Please know, KYC clients and staff are truly grateful for your support!
ALSO Please keep Kenneth Young Center's Resale Shop in mind for all estate/down-sizing, in-kind donations before selling or holding auctions. All donations benefit our services and are greatly appreciated.
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CLIENT STORY
Major Recurring Depression... it was like being hit by a bolt of lightening. I was struck down by mental illness, and cast into the darkness. I could not communicate or function. My family did not understand me. No one understood me, least of all, me.
The year I had my second child, I went through a violent divorce and my father died of cancer. Not to mention, I came from a dysfunctional family.
Before I came to Kenneth Young Center, I was misdiagnosed several times. I was put on countless medications - some helped, some made it worse, some made me incoherent, and others over-sedated me. Some of the medications caused greater anxiety while others put me into a state of mania. There were physical reactions too: my speech was slurred and slow, I drooled, I stumbled, I could not write, and I had muscle contortions throughout my body. I thought it was all my fault and so did my family.
When I would get home from the hospital, I would throw away all of my medications. But within a month, I was back in a state of psychosis. I did it again and again because I did not understand what was happening to me, and no one could explain it to me.
For nine years, I was in and out of the hospital and living in darkness. My children were my only strength and my only inspiration to get well. If it were not for them, I would have given up. I was very scared and even terrified by what I was going through. I had to fight for my life.
Finally, a doctor suggested that I seek treatment at Kenneth Young Center. I began group therapy and saw the psychiatrist twice a month. That's when I began to see a light at the end of a tunnel. The people at KYC - the doctors, the therapists, and the clients - were able to help me open up. They helped me get inside and pull me out of my confusion. I learned to trust the path I was on for the first time in my life.
I met people at KYC who had a deep compassion for other people, and who truly cared about me; they were not judgmental or condescending. I learned that I had an illness, and I learned to accept and deal with that.
That was 15 years ago. It has not been an easy road, but I have been highly functional for the last 15 years. People like me, need people like those at Kenneth Young Center to help support our goals of getting well and staying well.
I want to tell the staff at Kenneth Young Center to please never give up, because you are making a big difference in many lives. Thank you!
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RECOGNITION
Thank You Walmart & MOWAA
Thank you to the Walmart Foundation and the Meals On Wheels Association of America (MOWAA) for their $3,285 "Building the Future" Impact Grants in support of our Meals on Wheels Program. This grant will allow Kenneth Young Center to ensure its Meals on Wheels program's sustainability while fostering long-term growth.
"The Building the Future Impact Grant will help us provide the next meal to many of our clients in need, and will truly make a difference for the seniors in our community," said Mitch Bruski, CEO of Kenneth Young Center.
Seniors are among those hit hardest by hunger in this country. In fact, more than six million seniors in America face the threat of hunger. Many are home-bound, and rely on neighbors and community volunteer programs like Meals On Wheels to help put food on the table. This grant is part of a bigger effort to help ensure our senior community has access to healthy and nutritious food.
Thank you Walmart Foundation and MOWAA for recognizing our need and giving us your support!
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The Talent Show Fundraiser
Thank you to everyone who came out to our first Cafe' Card Project Talent Show Fundraiser event at Kenneth Young Center on Thursday, June 23.
"The event was a wonderful success," said Tica King, Peer Counselor and Talent Show Coordinator. "It was a great example of recovery when clients generate outside activities to connect with the community and to experience personal growth. Everyone brought their talents forth and made the night fun, exciting and purposeful."
"I was excited to see as many as 60 people attend," said Tica. "Considering it was the first show, 60 people was a good attendance. I look forward to seeing the numbers grow next time."
Our MC, Mike Valente, demonstrated great courage and warm humor; Michelle Layfield's story was inspirational; Margaret Rix's classical piano was extraordinary; Tom Bolda was a hit; Cynthia Tidd's poem was beautiful; and the Karaoke singers were fabulous.
If you missed the event this time around, be sure to attend the next one in October. It's a fun way to support Kenneth Young Center, The Card Project and our gifted participants.
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EDUCATION
Kenneth Young Center Clients are Happy with Services
In the midst of the State budget crisis and reduction in mental health services, Kenneth Young Center clients report a high level of satisfaction with the Center and its services.
Every quarter, Kenneth Young Center (KYC) surveys its clients to benchmark their satisfaction. The survey compares KYC to more than 40 other behavioral health care providers in a tri-state range. Twenty aspects of care are addressed: admission, billing, scheduling, location, comfort of office, progress, quality of service, overall satisfaction, and more.
"Survey results indicate that client satisfaction ranks in the 95th percentile for overall satisfaction," said Susan Reynolds, Clinical Director at Kenneth Young Center. "In fact, the only category that KYC fell short in was in how long clients had to wait to get an appointment. This result demonstrates the critical importance of timely State reimbursements. The more cuts to funding made means the fewer services we can offer clients, which then means our waiting list grows."
"The survey also showed that there is an increasing need for mental health care services in our area, but the State is making it impossible to properly help those in need," said Mitch Bruski, CEO at Kenneth Young Center. "We are proud that we have been able to continue to offer our clients the highest level of care. Their satisfaction is important to us, that is why we continually evaluate ourselves through these surveys."
It makes us happy that our are clients happy, but we want to do more. We want to provide the proper and necessary services to those in need. You can help by contacting your legislators and asking them to stop budget cuts and stop delaying payments for mental health services. Please visit our website for more information.
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