Dear Friends of Huckleberry Youth Programs,
As the year comes to a close, at Huckleberry Youth Programs, we pause to reflect on all the highs and lows this year brought for our youth and families. Amidst all the injustices, we remain steadfast in advancing equity and dignity for our Bay Area youth.
As we grapple with the uncertainty of what the next few years mean for us under the new federal administration, what we know for certain is that our work doesn’t stop, despite the attacks on the rights and lives of the communities we serve. We step into the new year with a sense of urgency and commitment – a better world isn’t just possible, it’s already being built brick by brick, by our youth, our frontline staff, our community partners, and supporters like you. So thank you for the continued partnership!
We’re proud to share our highlights from the year:
- Youth Justice Transformation: The expansion of the San Francisco Community Assessment & Referral Center (CARC) now allows us to work with youth arrested for felonies. After the completion of the rollout, Huckleberry will support substantially more youth who are entering San Francisco’s juvenile justice system, offering community-based diversion services and connections to community-based organizations for youth detained in the Juvenile Justice Center.
- Youth Wellness Through Art: Huckleberry Youth Health Center in San Francisco designed and implemented “Create to Activate,” a new, youth-driven harm reduction project using artistic “zines” that address substance misuse and fentanyl usage/overdoses among youth.
- Youth Mental Health: In Marin County, ACE (Access to College Equity) Academy, our college and career access program for first-generation students began offering mental health screenings regularly to all participants, resulting in a larger number of students accessing on-site Huckleberry counseling services. Additionally, we expanded mental health programming, offering more school embedded services at the largest local middle school and high schools, as well as offering more harm reduction programming.
Youth voices are being amplified across California, and 2024 brought decisive victories for our incredible young people and Huckleberry Youth Programs as an agency.
- Governor Gavin Newsom declared October 2024 as Youth Justice Action Month, endorsing the proclamation issued by the White House.
- CA Department of Justice remains committed to supporting, expanding, and defending access to reproductive care for all. The Know Your Period Act was signed into law and represents a crucial step forward in the state’s comprehensive sexual health education for youth.
- California also introduced a Statewide Student Advisory Board, shifting sights from doing work for students to doing work with students, recognizing youth as equal partners within the education system. These wins inspire us more than ever to collaborate with our youth and families next year!
Building on this momentum, Huckleberry Youth Programs will continue to keep reproductive rights, sexual health and wellness education, juvenile justice reform, LGBTQIA+ youth rights, mental health, and meeting essential needs at the center of our work. We remain a safe space for immigrant, Newcomer, queer and trans, and BIPOC youth and families in both San Francisco and Marin County.
The future demands more from us: a bold vision, renewed commitment, and more resources. With our Board of Directors, dedicated staff, and community of partners, we will rise in the moment for Bay Area youth and families. We are proof that another and better world is still possible. Let’s keep building together.
Your support means the world to us!
In community,
Douglas Styles, Executive Director/CEO
P.S. Join our movement to advance social equity through youth-centered holistic care by making a 100% tax-deductible donation by Tuesday, December 31, 2024.
