March 2012

NCFY Recommends: Hotline Helps Child Abuse Victims 24/7

Child Help graphic, with words child help and a dove flying above them.Every ten seconds, child abuse is reported in the United States. Anonymous help for victims and their families can be found by calling Childhelp's National Child Abuse Hotline 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Bright Idea: Capitalize on National Nutrition Month

Tomatoes, apples, oranges, lemons, parsley, garlic, squash, and plums.Claire Thomas had just started Farms For Life, a program in Washington state that brings farm-fresh vegetables to homeless shelters and at-risk families and youth, when she made a delivery to the transitional living apartments operated by the Seattle nonprofit YouthCare.

New Podcast: Forrest Vest and Debbie Michael

The latest podcast from NCFY tells the story of Forrest Vest, a formerly homeless teen who got off the streets and started a youth-serving foundation in his hometown on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula.

NCFY Recommends: Video on Host Homes for LGBT Youth Featuring Commissioner Samuels

The host home program for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth run by Family and Youth Services Bureau grantee Avenues for Homeless Youth was spotlighted in a recent PBS video, "Feels Like Home: Helping Homeless LGBT Youth."

Right on the Money: Lessons in Social Media Fundraising

If you’ve been following online news about social media fundraising—the practice of raising money using Facebook, Twitter, blogs and so on—you might have reason to feel confused.

“Using Social Media Increases Fundraising by 40 Percent,” says one headline. “Raising Money Online Is Harder Than It Sounds,” says another.

Ask NCFY: Helping Unaccompanied Youth Apply for Financial Aid

Q: I work with homeless youth who are applying for college and need federal financial aid. Can they apply for student loans or grants without a parent's signature?

A: Yes. Young people can fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, as unaccompanied homeless youth if they

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