April 2019   e Newsletter
Dear friends,

As Richmond and the Bay Area spring to life in the sunshine, we could not be more eager to share the excitement of our 20 th anniversary year with you.

In this newsletter, we invite you to walk down memory lane with us , watch our brand new 20th Anniversary video , and take a moment to acknowledge the positive impact you, our community, have helped make possible over the course of two decades.

I am also pleased to introduce you to our new Adult Leadership Program and to some of the inspiring participants who graduated from the program in March.

With Camp Days and Richmond Rangers outings occurring weekly in the parks, YES teens preparing for camp leadership positions, registration underway for our May Family Camp, and Summer Camp right around the corner, YES is serving up something for everyone.

Join us! Come out on a program visit to experience the magic of being outdoors with YES, or contact us about volunteering in the field, around the office, or at our next event.

Sincerely,
Eric Aaholm, Executive Director
Announcing Our 20 th Anniversary Video
Be the first to view our brand new 20th Anniversary video! With photos and footage from across the years as a backdrop, our Executive Director and Program Director reflect on YES's growth, evolution, and impact.
Check Out Our 20th Anniversary Website
Watch a slideshow of magical moments from across the years, see a timeline of milestones and accomplishments in YES's history, and read reflections from YES community members past and present. We'll be adding more content monthly!
Reminisce with us at www.yesfamilies.org/20
Meet YES's Adult
Leadership Program Graduates
On March 22 nd , YES was thrilled to celebrate the first graduates of our Adult Leadership Program. Through six months of workshops, community building, goal-setting, and mentorship, these Richmond residents developed their knowledge, skills, strengths, and experience to effect positive change in their lives and in our community.

Learn more about the program and meet some of the graduates as they share about themselves and their experiences in our program:
"I felt it was an opportunity I should not miss. I felt motivated, I didn’t miss any of the workshops... I had to learn something different, something new. And, I feel that I gave something of myself." - Reyna, Adult Leadership Program Graduate
Summer Camp is Just Around the Corner
The phone lines are lighting up and families are streaming through our doors. As much as the blossoms all around us or the birds singing in the trees, these are the signs of spring at YES. As we have every year for two decades, we're working with families from all across Richmond to make sure their children have access to the outdoors at Summer Camp. With the essential support of our camp partners and donors, hundreds of YES youth will spend an unforgettable week immersed in nature, away from screens and social media, surrounded by supportive adults and peers.
These experiences are the jumping-off point for a life-long love of the natural world, and for many YES youth it is the first step in their journey to become outdoor educators and leaders themselves.

Twelve YES teens have already been hired as paid Counselors or volunteer Counselors-in-Leadership-Training with our partner camps for summer 2019! We are excited for these young leaders, and grateful to them as they blaze the trail toward a more equitable and inclusive outdoor and environmental field.
You Can Help Make All This Possible for our Youth & Families:
Donate to YES today! visit www.yesfamilies.org/donate-now
"The YES staff and the kids here feel like family. You can put all your trust in them - they don’t judge you and they will help you any time you need it." - Camp-to-Community Teen Participant
YES Nature to Neighborhoods |(510) 232-3032 | www.yesfamilies.org