Community Youth Services Launches Capital Campaign for Youth Resource Center

Olympia, Wash. -- Community Youth Services begins a $2.5 million public campaign for its new Youth Resource Center with a Kickoff Luncheon at Saint Martin's College's Worthington Center today. The new facility, located at 711 State Avenue in Olympia, will house the agency's full complement of programs that provide services for children, youth and families from throughout southwest Washington.

The capital campaign is chaired by Pat Rants, president of The Rants Group. Lieutenant Governor Brad Owen is the campaign's honorary co-chair and is scheduled to speak at the Kickoff Luncheon. The campaign began in a "quiet phase" on July 1, 2000. Nearly 60 percent of the $2.5 million has been secured to date. Generous supporters of the campaign include: Community Services Facility Program of the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development; the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; city of Olympia; the family of Calvert and Barbara Sheldon; Hal and Inge Marcus; Olympia Kiwanis; Pat and Helen Rants; Charles and Norma Shelan; CYS board members, staff and other community members.

Since 1970, Community Youth Services has served the children and families of our community who are in crisis because of conflict in the home, poor school performance, substance abuse, lack of job skills or other threats to their safety and well-being. The agency's professional staff are leaders in providing the most comprehensive child welfare services available in Lewis, Mason, Thurston and other neighboring counties. Through 17 creative and effective programs, CYS works actively to identify and help resolve issues that impact young people so that they can reach their full potential and become healthy, responsible community members.

Responding to the needs of the community, CYS programs together improved the quality of life for over 3,000 youth and families in 2000, an increase of 45 percent in the last six years. Over 40,000 individuals have been served since the agency was founded. CYS currently has approximately 52 full-time and thirty-five part-time employees, an increase of 30 percent since 1993.

While CYS case loads and direct service staff have grown, the headquarters for the agency has not. The agency currently operates from a 6,700-sq. ft. facility at 824 5th Ave. SE in Olympia, a building approximately one-third of the required space documented in a recent needs analysis.

The Youth Resource Center will enable CYS to improve the quality of service, offer expanded and enhanced programs, allow for the enrichment of partnerships with other youth agencies and provide room for growth in response to future community needs. The Youth Resource Center will include:
· Classroom space for GED and high school completion classes, parenting classes and foster parent training
· A computer lab to provide at-risk students access to technology and opportunities to acquire job skills
· Confidential counseling rooms
· Space for complimentary nonprofit or public programs
· Room to grow to meet future needs of our community's youth and families

Campaign volunteers will solicit local businesses and individuals for their support over the next ten months. The campaign will continue to end of the year. Community Youth Services plans to move into the new Youth Resource Center in early 2002.

For information about contributions to the campaign please contact Charles Shelan, executive director, (360) 943-0780 X638, or Suzann Stahl, Campaign Director, at (360) 943-0780 X616.