Earlier this month, we asked our Friends to nominate a peer who goes above and beyond for the youth they mentor. Kevin was selected as our Youth Champion, with Tanya as the runner-up.

Kevin's colleagues pointed to the way he puts our two-generation approach into practice. He builds relationships with the whole family, making sure caregivers feel seen and appreciated and that siblings who aren’t in the program feel “welcomed, valued and included.”

One colleague also shared how Kevin pays close attention to how his youth are feeling in the moment, using even a quiet pause during an outing as an opportunity to help them notice and name what they’re experiencing.

Tanya’s peers wrote about the care she puts into creating experiences for her girls and the bonds she has built with them saying, “You can tell how much they love and trust her.” Even when one of her youth moved away because of difficult family circumstances, Tanya continued checking in and making sure the relationship didn’t end with the move.

As part of the recognition, Kevin and Tanya each received tickets to the Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival, where they enjoyed a day out with their youth.

Thank you, Kevin and Tanya, for the care you bring to your work with youth and their families every day.