Oneida County Youth Volunteer Nearly 5,700 Hours Through Children Care Initiative

County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr. announced today that 610 youth volunteered 5,696 hours through the Oneida County Children Care initiative in 2024.

"This year, over 600 young people in Oneida County stepped up to make a difference in their communities, demonstrating the power of service and compassion," Picente said. "Through the Oneida County Children Care initiative, these volunteers have not only contributed thousands of hours to meaningful causes but have also shown that our future is in good hands.”

Their dedication to helping others—whether through disaster relief, supporting our first responders or uplifting those in need—is truly inspiring. I commend their efforts and thank our partner organizations for fostering a spirit of volunteerism that will have a lasting impact on our county."

The county initiative partnered last year with ICAN, The Neighborhood Center, Safe Schools Mohawk Valley, Cornell Cooperative Extension and Thea Bowman House.

Youth volunteers performed community service projects that included providing tornado relief to the citizens of Rome, creating gratitude bags for police officers and firefighters, sending letters to our troops, participating in mentor reading programs, donating school supplies, assisting at Anita’s Stevens Swan Humane Society, creating Valentine’s Day cards for senior citizens, donating to the Utica Food Pantry, participating in SNUG gun violence prevention community events, forming youth leadership groups and participating in holiday food drives.

“The Oneida County Children Care initiative began in 2009 with a goal of teaching our children the invaluable lessons of community service learned through volunteerism,” said Youth Bureau Director Kevin Green. “Our youth-serving agencies do incredible work daily with our children. Nothing — not tough economic times or the cutting of staff and hours of program operation — has stood in the way of their commitment to teach our youth the value of volunteerism and giving back to their communities. This Oneida County Children Care initiative once again proves that our children really do care.”

Now in its fourteenth year, the Oneida County Children Cares initiative has seen 17,680 youth dedicate 60,040 hours to community service.