When children live in poverty and in unstable environments, they live at risk. They become vulnerable to drugs, crime and an incomplete education, eventually perpetuating the cycle of poverty as adults. In the Northern Virginia area, many children are living in just such an environment. In parts of Sterling, an average of 6 in 10 children are economically disadvantaged, and the number of at-risk youths is also on the rise. For many of these children, there is no affordable option for after-school activities, leaving them without supervision and more vulnerable to crime and delinquency. Their parents often lack skills that can help them provide a more stable home for their children.
The INMED Family & Youth Opportunity Center provides educational services and resources that families need to raise healthy, responsible and resilient children, while building a sense of community and achieving economic self-sufficiency. INMED accomplishes these milestones via three program areas:
After School Academic Enrichment and Summer Day Camp: Offering daily homework completion, individualized tutoring and a roster of STEAM-related educational and extra-curricular activities for referred students.
Healthy Families Loudoun and Homelessness Prevention: Providing consistent home visiting and support services to help families address parenting challenges, and build economic sustainability to maintain permanent housing.
Workforce Skills Development: Offering entrepreneurial workshops and career-support resources in preparation for INMED’s biannual job fairs, which feature an array of industry recruiters actively pursuing employable candidates.
Please consider supporting INMED financially or volunteering at the Opportunity Center. Visit https://opportunity.us or email Cecilia Capece, Executive Director, at ccapece@inmed.org for more details.