On June 4th, a longstanding community partner, Youth Services of Southern Wisconsin (Youth Services/YSOSW), hosted an open house showcasing their newly built facility at 2720 Rimrock Rd. As part of the event, there was a presentation during which Attic Angels donated $125,000 in support of YSOSW. Earlier this year, CUNA Mutual also committed to donating $10,000/year over the next 3 years while a local church offered a $50,000 contribution.
For those not familiar with their history, Youth Services of Southern Wisconsin, a non-profit service agency, was created in 2003 with the merger of Briarpatch, Inc. (established 1971) and Community Adolescent Programs, Inc. (established 1978). Area law enforcement is very familiar with Briarpatch, a program that serves at-risk youth. The Madison Police Department relies on this program, which allows us to place youth who are in crisis in a safe environment where they and their families will receive support. Over the years, Youth Services continued to grow, merging with Project Hugs in 2009, which allowed the agency to expand its programming for youth and families.
As the needs of our community changed, Youth Services worked diligently to meet those needs. However, their desire to broaden services could not have become a reality without the generous support of many local agencies, organizations and of course, area residents of both Madison and greater Dane County. It is this commitment to service, supported by community partnerships, that is symbolized by their new building.
Upon touring their facility, it becomes clear that YSOSW's new building only tells part of their story. Youth Services has become a significant community asset because of the men and women who serve as staff for the agency. As impressive as their building is, meeting staff and supporters underscored how Youth Services is able to deliver the quality of programming it does. Simply put, they deliver service through commitment and caring....commitment to excellence with a caring approach in serving area youth and their families.
The mission of Youth Services of Southern Wisconsin is to provide innovative services dedicated to strengthening and improving the lives of youth, their families, and our community.
The agency's core beliefs state:
•Youth are valuable assets who represent the future of our community.
•Teamwork, cultural competence, and a willingness to embrace change are the foundations of our success.
•Collaborations and partnerships build strong communities.
•Measuring the results of services promotes effectiveness and accountability.
Successful organizations understand the importance of and rely on, community partnerships. The Madison Police Department values our partnership with Youth Services and appreciates the support our community offers this worthwhile organization.
For more information on programming offered by Youth Services of Southern Wisconsin, refer to the brochures below or follow their Facebook link at: www.facebook.com/YSOSW.
Information for this blog was provided by and authored by Lt. David Jugovich.
A message from Chief Koval: "I would like to commend Lt. Dave Jugovich for his submission and I also appreciate his willingness to represent our Department on the Board to Youth Services of Southern Wisconsin."