Oneida County Youth Continue to Positively Impact Community

More than 1,600 Youth Volunteered Over 11,000 Hours in 2019

Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr. announced today that in 2019, 1,641 youth gave back 11,096 volunteer hours to the community through the Oneida County Youth Bureau’s Children Care Initiative.

“The Oneida County Children Care initiative helps our young people understand the power volunteerism has in strengthening the foundation of our community and changing people’s lives for the better,” Picente said. “The selflessness of giving to others not only positively impacts those in need, but also goes a long way in building the character of the youth who participate in the program.”

The county civic engagement initiative partnered last year with the Neighborhood Center, Safe Schools Mohawk Valley/Underground Café, Cornell Cooperative Extension, the Dodge Pratt Northam Art Community Center, the Center for Family Life and Recovery, Salvation Army Utica and the Thea Bowman House to perform community service.

County youth worked on projects that included assisting flood victims, making Christmas cards for veterans and active service members, wrapping gifts for Toys for Tots, Agriculture Literacy Week, Community Gardening, the Making Strides to End Breast Cancer Walk, preparing/delivering care bags for cancer patients, cleaning senior citizens’ yards, preparing food and serving meals at local food pantries and youth mentoring and tutoring.

“We are continuing to see our youth take ownership and pride in making a difference within our community through volunteering,” said Youth Bureau Director Kevin Green. “This initiative is a testament to the work our youth-serving agencies do on a daily basis and to the youth of Oneida County.”

Since its inception in 2009, Oneida County Children Cares has seen 14,700 youth dedicate 44,917 hours to community service.