Wyoming Valley Catholic Youth Center- Respite Care Program

AllOne Charities granted the Wyoming Valley Catholic Youth Center $15,000 in support of a Respite Care Program, offering a much-needed break to caregivers for children ages 5-13 who are actively receiving mental-health services. The program is run in partnership with Luzerne County Mental Health & Developmental Services and its System of Care and has seen greatly increasing client numbers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The program serves newfound caregivers who lack child-care resources or natural supports. Many of the caregivers are grandparents raising grandchildren, so they welcome the opportunity for supervised recreational, athletic and social activity, along with overnight care. It serves more than 50 children and has a growing waiting/referral list that now includes 95 more children.

Healthy meals are an important component of the Respite Care program as well. The CYC has become the main provider of daily nutrition to the children it serves. Overall, the CYC serves 11,100 meals per month during the school year and 23,100 meals per month during summers. Of those meals, at least 80 per month during the school year and 260 per month during summers are offered to children in the Respite Care Program.

Photo (Left to Right): Ryan Smith, program executive at the CYC; John Cosgrove, the Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, bishop of Scranton; and Jim Bebla, Diocesan Secretary for Development.