YDU Honored by Making a Change Group

Yesterday evening, in a ballroom full of 300 people who support the youth of Chester, Youth Development United gratefully received a Community Partnership Award from Making a Change Group.

It was “Team MAC’s” 20th anniversary celebration banquet, and it was a beautiful evening celebrating success stories about mentorship and partnership toward a safer, healthier city. Learn more here.

In presenting the award, founder Cory Long graciously remarked on the longstanding and productive friendship between our organizations, referencing our founder, Brent Jacquette and our previous Executive Director Brendan Grady.

Over the years, we have regularly collaborated to enhance each other’s outreach by adding staff, activities and promotional efforts for events, and we have stayed in close touch to maximize opportunities that benefit youth and families.

Recent examples include facilitating soccer at Team MAC’s Connected Visions Family Summer Program, co-chairing the “Delco Gives, Chester Makes” Block Party, and helping form Chester’s Mentoring Initiative.

Joining the celebration at the YDU table were Board Members Stacy Yates and Erich Yost, Chester Upland School District representatives Claudia Averette, Nichola Thompson and Yolanda Jackson, programming partners Bryan Parr and Todd Pride, Assistant District Attorney Melissa Muroff, and program participant Camille Yates who joined Executive Director Jeannine Anckaitis on stage to accept the award. (Unfortunately, YDU Founder and Board Chair Brent Jacquette was ill and unable to attend.)

Other event honorees included Chester Education Foundation, Power Home Remodeling, Mischico Warren of The Foundation for Delaware County and other remarkable individuals.

In honor of Team MAC, please visit the silent auction and treat yourself and your loved ones to some of the wonderful opportunities listed there. The auction closes on November 1.