Last week I went to the annual fund-raising breakfast for Youth and Family Enrichment Services (YFES,) an organization that provides an incredible fabric of counseling, intervention, education and crisis services to families in San Mateo County. All I can say is thank God for waterproof mascara. I have been involved with this group now for several years but I am still reduced to tears every time I attend one of these events. What got me this time? A short video about The Children’s Place, a Redwood City-based organization that provides services, including summer camps and group counseling for children of parents struggling with alcoholism or drug addiction. The video shown this morning was a clip from a longer documentary called Lost Childhood: Growing Up in an Alcoholic Family produced and narrated by Emerald Yeh. The documentary combines clips of young kids talking about the challenges, fears and sadness that go along with growing up in an alcoholic household. Fast forward these same kids a few years later to middle school - talking about those same struggles, with a maturity and insight far beyond their years. Final fast forward to those same kids in their 20s, facing their own struggles, opportunities and dreams, all impacted by living under the cloud of alcoholism. It’s incredibly moving. Following the video, Jerry Moe, founder of The Children’s Place, took the stage. He clearly understands the power of a good story, well told. He had the audience in the palm of his hand, waiting to hear what had happened to Grace & Juliana, two of the young women profiled in the video.

And the Children’s Place was only part of it. We heard from a panel of teenage girls involved in a youth development initiative at Sequoia High School in Redwood City, talking about how helping their peers and contributing to their community has helped them navigate the high school years with a sense of purpose and hope. These are two glimpses into the many ways YFES helps children and families. Check out the organization and read some of the stories. And if you can find the Lost Childhood documentary on your public television station, its definitely worth a look. But keep the Kleenex box handy.

Community, Uncategorized