Our Programs and Services
Furniture and Household goods for transition age youth
Foster and other underserved youth who are transitioning to living on their own are referred to Make It Happen for Yolo County, where they complete a “wish list” of items our organization can provide. They then come to our storage units and are met by a Make it Happen member who helps them choose the requested goods. Clients can be provided with all basic items needed to fully furnish a small apartment: living, dining and bedroom furniture, bathroom supplies (shower curtain, towels, bathmats), small kitchen appliances and supplies (pots and pans, utensils, plates and glasses, food storage containers, toaster, iron, microwave, blender) as well as mattresses and cleaning supplies (vacuum cleaner, mop, broom). Each person is also given two $50 gift cards to either Target or Walmart. Transportation is frequently a challenge for our clients. We are grateful for our van donated by Brown Construction so we are able to deliver the items to our client's homes.
Make It Happen volunteers David, Lynn and Davis Sunrise Rotarian John
Independent Living Skills Program support
Make it Happen for Yolo County partners with the Yolo County Independent Living Skills Program (ILSP) which provides foster youth ages 14-21 in Yolo county classes to develop the skills needed for successfully living on their own. These range from health, cooking and nutrition to financial literacy and career exploration. To celebrate the accomplishments of the ILSP high school graduates, Make it Happen sends congratulatory cards with a Raley’s gift card to each ILSP graduate.
We are pleased to provide our services to youth from the Independent Living Skills Program when they transition to living on their own.
Youth Excellence Award Recipient
Every June a graduation is held for participants in Yolo County’s Independent Living Skills program. The graduating youth are celebrated for completing the living skills courses, graduating from high school and transitioning to adulthood. Make it Happen recognizes a youth each year with our excellence award which includes a $500 stipend. The award is given to a deserving youth based on academic merit, character personal growth and plans to continue with further education or career.
Leo 2021 Youth Excellence Award Recipient
Bike Program
Make it Happen purchases refurbished bicycles from the Martin Luther King High School bicycle program. Along with locks, lights and helmets they are available to the youth we serve.
UCD Guardian Scholars Program
Every year, Make It Happen for Yolo County partners with the UC Davis Guardian Scholars Program (GSP) to provide furniture and household items for GSP students moving out of the dorms into their first independent living situations. The process begins in May when we inform students about our program and culminates in 3-4 days in late August and early September when students are scheduled to arrive at our storage units, pick out items for their new homes which our volunteers then deliver. Last year, in 2023, we served 19 GSP students.
Resources
Make It Happen is often asked questions around resources for foster youth. For example, we have had foster families reach out to ask where they might obtain items for their youth.
Recently, we had a foster youth who we had previously helped and was going to be aging out of foster care. They needed support while finding independent living as the initial plan had not worked out and the client was going to be homeless. We were able to work with the Child Welfare Services TAY unit and the youth themselves to assist in finding them an apartment as well as resources to provide a security deposit and first month’s rent.
We have answered questions from the community about donating to programs supporting foster youth.