Corks For A Cause: Youth Village
This week's "Corks for a Cause" charity spotlight shines on Nellie Bogar's after school organization: Youth Village. Located in Fort Walton Beach and founded over 17 years ago by Nellie Bogar herself, Youth Village has worked hard to serve as a solid foundation for many children who need a safe and positive learning environment after school.
Youth Village has become like a family for Ms. Nellie and her kids. She is truly a mentor and leader to them, teaching them manners and right from wrong on top of everything else. Not only has Youth Village acted as a safe place for their children to be educated, but Ms. Nellie Bogar and her staff are also able to extend their focus on many life skills, and provide cultural opportunities, field trips, drama classes, and language lessons. Learn more about all Youth Village does here.
Our 2015 auction was a huge success and we were proud to present the organization with a $140,000 check to help support their program. These kids are what inspires us to, "Bid high and bid often!"
Many of the children involved in Youth Village are labeled as a high-risk demographic by the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice. According to the Okaloosa County Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Plan, many of their students are those with no regular supervision during critical non-school hours. According to the annual report, "The professional staff ensures individual attention for every student, which 90% attend the program at no cost to their parents." To date, the organization has helped serve over 1500 children in our area.
DCWAF is proud to help Youth Village continue to grow and reach the children who need their help. Founder and executive director, Nellie Bogar, said it all started with just wanting to help a few kids with their homework, but with the nurturing and support Youth Village has received from the community they have grown to help much more than just those few kids.
If you are interested in being a member of Youth Village and their organization, visit this link.
“Never underestimate the difference YOU can make in the lives of others. Step forward, reach out and help.”
- Michaela Mayo
Published on Thursday, February 11, 2016