In times of crisis, having a safety net can make all the difference. Youth who participate in Juma’s programs often experience barriers that limit their ability to fully engage in our workshops and programs. At our annual Paths to Possibility celebration this past fall, we were excited to announce the launch of a new initiative: The Youth Empowerment Emergency Fund.

100% of donations to this fund will go directly to providing additional support to Juma youth who experience unforeseen financial difficulties. By addressing these obstacles promptly, we aim to ensure that every youth has the opportunity to thrive, regardless of their circumstances.

The fund will remove barriers for young people like Esther, a Juma youth who was living in a foster care group home when she realized that she had two weeks to figure out where she was going to live once she turned 21. By law, foster youth run out of benefits upon their 21st birthday and are unfortunately removed from their foster homes immediately – something that Esther wasn’t made aware of until just two weeks before hers. Juma stepped in, helped Esther find temporary housing while she looked for a new home, and covered her housing application fees.

Another young person for whom this fund removed a barrier to success is Noah. While working at Juma, Noah didn’t have a phone or computer. He would visit the library to use a computer to look up the baseball schedule and estimate what time he should show up for his shift before the game began. This fund now helps youth like Noah to purchase needed technology like a cellphone or laptop and can provide stipends to cover internet access, ensuring they have the resources they need to not only thrive in their Juma role but to be best prepared in taking the next step in their career goals.

While some youth are dealing with emergency situations or faced with needs that limit their participation in Juma’s programs, others face challenges utilizing services that most of us take for granted. Marcus was an excellent participant in Juma programming and worked many shifts at our enterprise operations, however, Juma staff soon realized that he wasn’t cashing his checks. After asking him why not, Juma staff learned that because Marcus was dealing with housing insecurity, he did not have a birth certificate or driver’s license needed to open a bank account. Since he didn’t have money available from his paychecks to use, he was unable to afford the processing fees required to obtain these documents to open the bank account and was faced with a dead end. Juma staff were able to support him with covering the fees and navigating the process of getting the proper documents needed to open an account and he was finally able to have access to his earned paycheck and stabilize his life. 

Thanks to the generosity of our community, the Youth Empowerment Emergency Fund will be an ongoing resource for Juma youth who are experiencing barriers to full program participation. Sometimes, the only thing standing between a young person and access to resources that could change the course of their future is a couple of hundred dollars and a supportive adult to help them navigate a challenge they aren’t familiar with. 

If you would like to contribute to this fund, reach out to Megan Hover, Juma Director of Individual Giving, via meganh@juma.org.