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Dear CYP Students,

A new school year is underway! I hope you are settling into your classes, seeing familiar faces, meeting new teachers, and getting used to your new schedule.

Going back to school can take some adjustment, especially when you also have responsibilities at home. Homework, activities, caregiving, and family needs can sometimes all happen at the same time.

Please remember that you do not have to handle everything perfectly. If something at home is making school harder, or something at school is making caregiving harder, talk with your Family Specialist. We want to know how you are doing and how we can help.

We are so glad to be back with you in schools for groups, Lunch and Learn, and another year together.

Wishing you a great start to the school year!

With care,

Dr. Connie

Greetings, CYP Friends!

August was a busy month! Before school started, AACY staff joined the Spirit of Giving Network Back-to-School Bash to pack backpacks and school supplies.

A big thank you to the Town of Palm Beach United Way and First United Methodist Church of Boca Raton for their awesome support of backpacks and school supplies for CYP participants. It takes a community to make sure you have the tools you need for a successful school year!

For CYP students who could not attend, our team delivered supplies to their homes.

We also squeezed in some final summer fun, including Urban Air and a Miami Marlins game with CYP mentors and mentees. You can see more from both below!

As the school year gets going, keep an eye on your texts for upcoming CYP activities and opportunities.

We’re here to help you have your best year ever, both as a student and as a caregiver!

The CYP Team

CYP students spent a summer day climbing, jumping, playing and hanging out at Urban Air Trampoline Park!

Students took on the climbing walls, trampolines and games, with lunch and plenty of time to spend with other Caregiving Youth.

And that time together is part of CYP too. When you spend a lot of time helping someone at home, it can feel good to get out, have fun and be around other kids who understand what your life can be like.

We hope everyone who came had a blast! If you missed this one, keep an eye on texts from your Family Specialist for the next CYP activity.

Mentors, Mentees & Marlins!

The group got to spend time together, watch some baseball, grab some ballpark food, and enjoy a night away from the usual routine.

We're here to support you on your caregiving journey. We'll share fun and educational content, inspiring stories from caregivers who are students or people around the world who are trying to help, and reminders that you're not alone. Thank you for all that you do for your family.

A big shout-out to Tradewinds Middle School in Greenacres for being such a strong partner to the Caregiving Youth Project!

Family Specialist Mary Craumer has worked with Tradewinds students, families, and staff for the past three years. One of her closest partners is Maggie Sanon, Lead Counselor, who helps connect students and families with CYP and other support they may need.

Mary says the Tradewinds staff keeps students at the center of their work and is always willing to find ways to support Caregiving Youth.

Tradewinds has also had something big to celebrate. When Mary first began working there, the school had a C rating. It later moved to a B, and this year Tradewinds earned an A!

Congratulations to the students, teachers, counselors, administrators, and families at Tradewinds Middle School!

Writer Helen Ouyang and photographer Stephanie Sinclair spent time with Caregiving Youth, their families, and AACY staff. Families welcomed them into their homes, introduced them to the people they care for, and shared what caregiving can look like every day.

The story also showed how caregiving can affect school, homework, sleep, time with friends, and other parts of being a student.

AACY Family Specialists Carmen Del Pilar Brugman, Thamar Mathias, and Kayli McBean were also featured as they worked with students and families.

But the most important part of the story was the Caregiving Youth and families who were willing to share their lives.

Thank you to every student and family who took part. You are important, and your voice matters. By sharing your experiences, you are helping people across the country understand who Caregiving Youth are, what you do for your families, and why support is needed.

When Caregiving Youth share their stories, people listen. It can help other kids feel recognized, help adults understand what caregiving is really like, and help create better support for Caregiving Youth everywhere.

Your story can make a difference.

Caregiving Youth were also featured in the Los Angeles Times this month.

Writer Lisa McCarty shared her own story of becoming her mother’s main caregiver at age 13 after her mother suffered a serious brain injury. She wrote about how much responsibility she took on and why children who care for family members need more support.

So what does this mean for you? It means Caregiving Youth are becoming part of a much bigger national conversation. People are starting to understand that kids really do provide care at home, and that their experiences deserve attention.

Every story that is shared helps make it easier for the next Caregiving Youth to be recognized, understood, and supported.

A national Caregiving Youth Virtual Connection Call is planned for:

Thursday, November 12, 2026

6:00 - 7:30 PM Eastern

This call will bring Caregiving Youth together from across the U.S. to connect, share, and be part of a larger conversation.

CYP students may have opportunities to help lead this event. Please contact your Family Specialist if you would like to be considered.

Join us and spread the word! To participate in our program, Caregiving Youth Project (CYP) participants must reside in Palm Beach County and can be referred through personal outreach, recommendations from school staff, or other organizations. Our support is provided both at school and in the home.

If you are a Caregiving Youth or know someone who is, but they don't live in Palm Beach County, please encourage them to email us at info@aacy.org. We are committed to helping them find resources, no matter where they reside in the United States.

988 Crisis Hotline

We at AACY believe that prioritizing mental health is a year-round endeavor. When you're having a difficult time, it's important to seek help. Thankfully, there is a new phone resource available no matter where you are in the US!: Just dial the 9-8-8 hotline.

This hotline is available 24 hours, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Don't suffer in silence - get help and keep hope alive.