Omni Youth Programs is an oustanding program for young children and families. I am proud to have been a part of the team for almost five years. The curriculm teaches the children that they have choices in life and each choice has a consquence. It was exciting to see the expressions on the children's faces while playing the many different board games or during the puppet show when they realized that they did not have to follow the crowd. They had a choice!

I have worked with Omni Youth Programs for almost 20 years and can honestly say this program is very valuable to the communities we serve. What's so unique about our program is that we offer four to eight week small group facilitation so that the youth have a better opportunity to bond with an adult who can help provide positive guidance and support. We also give the youth an opportunity to bond and develop strong, positive relationships with their peers. These relationships continue to grow over the three years that our services are offered at each individual school. Omni Youth Programs also has a very professional and educated staff that are working with at risk youth because they have a passion and commitment to help make youth and communities stronger, but also because many of us have a strong passion to keep our youth free of drugs and gangs. I personally have seen how damaging drugs can be to a youth, their family and the community at large, and made it a personal mission of my own to work in this field to try to make a difference. This program has helped me reach my goal of giving back. I grew up in a low income at risk environment and became the person I am today because I had strong role models that took time out to spend with me and keep me pointed in the right direction. This is what I see Omni providing to the youth they work with.

Omni Youth Programs is an exceptional agency that makes a huge difference in neighborhoods with heavy drug and gang involvement. It's surprising how many pre-teens confide to the counselors that they have been doing drugs with their parents daily since they were 8 years old. But once PASA starts, they really hear what the counselors have to say, and quit using! And, many of them change their views towards gangs. For the first time they think about what it really means to their future and their family as innocent bystanders if they join. Another exciting thing is that teachers say that once Omni Youth Programs starts coming to their class, they spend very little time on resolving student conflicts after every recess and lunch. That's because the program spends a lot of time on resolving problems without violence. Teachers hear the youth telling each other to not fight and just talk it out. Very different from before Omni got there! Everyone involved in the agency is extremely dedicated, competent and show a great deal of respect for each other. Very stringent and ethical business practices are applied and there's never been a legal or ethical complaint or problem since the formation of the program. Omni Youth Programs been around for over 30 years for many good reasons. It's a great organization that gets meaningful results and truly makes a difference in the lives of youth and families in Sacramento. I'm very proud to be a part of this organization.

Omni Youth Programs is an extremely professiona and nurturing agency who cares about training the youth counselors of tomorrow as much as it cares for the at risk youth and families it serves. It accompishes a TREMENDOUS amount of success with very low agency cost ($.93 of every dollor goes directly to the programs!) That really empressed me! It also strives to impact the community as a whole by providing services year after year for it's clients and their families at home. If you want your donated dollor to go far and have an immediate and lasting impact, Omni Youth Programs is a wonderful agency for which to donate.