2017 Oneida County Children Care

Oneida County Youth Continue to Positively Impact Community

More than 1,000 Youth Volunteered Over 5,500 Hours in 2017

Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr. announced today that in 2017, 1,323 youth gave back 5,685 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.”

Created in 2009, the county civic engagement initiative partnered last year with The Center for Family Life and Recovery, Cornell Cooperative Extension, The Neighborhood Center, Thea Bowman House, Utica Safe Schools/Underground Café and Dodge Pratt Northam Art Community to perform community service.

County youth worked on projects that included assisting in a bicycle giveaway for Utica children, making Christmas cards to send to veterans and service members, soliciting donations, collecting money and walking in Utica’s version of America’s Greatest Heart Run and Walk, the Walk to end Alzheimer’s, Making Strides to end Breast Cancer Walk, cleaning senior citizen’s yards, preparing food and serving meals at local food pantries, youth mentoring and tutoring and other community activities.

“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.”