Restoration Human Services, Inc. - Project Fit for Life

To provide education, service-learning and apprenticeship opportunities to youth residing in low-income communities

It is our core belief that each individual is born with unique gifts, talents, and direction that give them a sense of purpose and dignity. Due to varying levels of vulnerability, many fall prey to negative environmental factors that cloud their vision, distract them from their purpose, and impede growth. We will assist these individuals by creating pathways and opportunities that stimulate thinking, engage their innate abilities, and cultivate civic focus. We will scaffold them as they grow to understand that dignity and self worth are connected to service to others and not the material trappings of this society. Our goal is to enhance the dignity and skill set of the youth and young adults we serve.

We begain our service delivery in the summer of 2009. Our early efforts are focusing on partnering with existing youth service organizations to service our target population.

Through partnership, in September of this year, we successfully supported 24 youth in the completion of a 12 week service-learning project. Their goal was to assess youth knowledge and access to recreational resources within the city of Newark. They did a phenomenal job, surveyed 124 of their peers and put together a fantastic presentation incluing a PowerPoint with graphs and charts detailing their findings and recommendations. They were able to secure an audience with judes from the city's family courts, a city councilman, representatives from three of the city recreational centers, local public and private school administrators, as well as other youth service organization staff.

In January we are planning to embark on a new service-learning project focused on childhood obesity. currently looking to engage 20 youth in the facilitation of a service-learning project focused on childhood obesity: Project Fit for Life

RHS has recently been awarded the UnitedHealth HEROES grant sponsored by UnitedHealthcare and Youth Service America. Thanks to this funding, over a period of 12 weeks, 20 high school aged youth will learn about the risks of childhood obesity; its prevalence in the community, state and nation; resources working to reduce its occurrance; and prevention strategies. In addition they will plan and facilitate the Fit for Life
Fitness Challenge, an awareness event targeting the broader community to enhance their awareness of childhood obesity. Read more about Fit for Life on the website: www.wix.com/nksaid/fit-for-life

We are currently soliciting volunteers with expertise in working with high school aged youth on group projects.  Ideally,we hope to solicit support from individuals working in the field of childhood obesity, health and nutrition, naturopathic wellness and fitness, to act as facilitators for engagment sessions with youth participants and during the culminating event at the close of the project (Fit for Life - Fitness Challenge).