Yikes! The countdown is on for taking off on a new and exciting school year! So much to do and so much more to learn!

How is it possible to learn and accomplish everything - plus caregiving? 

We at AACY understand your worries and so we are excited to announce Caregiving Coaching! This is a way that you will have some 1:1 time with an AACY team member to help you jump over your hurdles to help you have the best ever school year!

P.S. Stay tuned! Next month a section is coming written by you, and for all Caregiving Youth like you!

Greetings CYP Friends!

July kicked off with the Caregiving Youths Got Talent Virtual Talent Showcase, where you had an opportunity to show off your talent. There was such great talent in the room! Shout out to our first-place winner Sha'keba - 8th grade, for singing so beautifully! 

The following week at Rapids Water Park, most of you enjoyed daring water slides while others had fun in the waves and lazy river. A huge shout out to Captain Paynee of Belle Glade for providing transportation for our CYP participants who live there. 

Art opportunities continued with our partnership with Manipura Care Network with time spent at Morikami Museum & Garden, Norton Museum, Perez Art Museum Miami, and Fairchild Tropical Garden. The fellowship ended with an amazing art showcase to show off all your work. How special!

We are grateful to Leeds Endowment for their new and generous support of Caregiving Youth so they have needed financial help to achieve their goals and make a difference in our world.

A big thank you also goes out to Spirit of Giving's Back to School PBC program for helping our community with backpacks, school supplies, and other back-to-school essentials. This generous support was a great help for many of you, ensuring you have what you need for the new school year without causing any disruption to your caregiving household. With this wonderful gift of time and resources, we set you up for success and make your back-to-school journey much smoother.

Don’t forget to text the word ALERT to 22300 to opt in to continue receiving important messages about the Caregiving Youth Project. 

If you want to see some pictures of you and your events, visit (and follow!) our Instagram @caregivingyouthproject and check out the aacy.org website.

Stay tuned for what’s exciting next! Before we know it, it will be back-to-school time!

Thank you.

Andreana Holliman, BA

It's no secret – caregiving can be a tough job. On the days when you're beyond stressed, you might feel completely alone. That couldn't be further from the truth. In the United States, over 5.4 million caregivers aged 18 and under are currently helping their loved ones. An army of people wants nothing but the best for you. We will feature videos every month of others who've told their stories in the US and around the world. Some are old, and some are new. The goal is to let you see that other kids have been through this too.

Thank you for all that you do for your family. Remember: you are never alone.

This month, we are featuring this powerful TEDx talk by Feylyn Lewis, PhD. She's a former Caregiving Youth and a member of our AACY National Advisory Council. She thinks about you and other young caregivers every day. In her speech, she tells her own personal story about growing up as a caregiver for her disabled mother and the difficulties she faced. She's worked with Dr. Connie and AACY for years on helping young carers.

So, Feylyn started out just like you, a caregiver in middle and high school.

Her journey as a Caregiving Youth led her to pursue a PhD in Social Work in the United Kingdom, where she studied young adult caregivers in the US and the UK.

We think you'll be interested in watching this. If you listen all the way through, it could maybe inspire you to work towards doing something special like this to help others like yourselves in your own life, "When Children are Society's Safety Net" sheds light on the experiences that inspired her passion for research and support for youth caregivers. You can watch it here: [ TEDx Talk Link ]



Ellissia, a Palm Beach Gardens High School graduate, will be attending the University of Florida College of Nursing. Shamar, a John I. Leonard High School graduate, will attend Palm Beach State College and then transfer to major in pharmacology.

Both students have shown great strength and resilience in caring for their chronically ill grandparents.

We are very grateful to Leeds Endowment for their generous support of Caregiving Youth. Your generosity will help these students achieve their goals and make a difference in our world.

Some of you might recognize Elva, she was a part of our program through high school and is an awesome speaker - check out what she says towards the end of the interview!

"Elva is a first-generation college student from Delray Beach and a graduate of Atlantic Community High School. She is currently studying Construction Management at Valencia College, with plans to transfer to UCF in the next 2 years.

However, Elva's journey has not been easy. She has been the caregiver to her father since the age of 11. While her mom works to support the family, Elva stays home to make sure her father takes his medication, eats, showers, and more. But despite these challenges, Elva has persevered and is on her way to achieving her dreams.

Elva's story is a testament to the power of hard work, determination, and the support of our community. We are proud to be part of her success story and to help her along the way. This interview is a must-watch for all who believe in the transformative power of education and the importance of supporting young people in pursuing their dreams. I encourage you to watch the interview and share it with your friends and family." - Tim Snow