Dr. Bill | Rochester Youth Outreach http://rocyo.org Sun, 18 Sep 2016 17:57:24 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.6.14 Happy New Year 2016! http://rocyo.org/happy-16/ http://rocyo.org/happy-16/#respond Fri, 01 Jan 2016 23:54:17 +0000 http://rocyo.org/?p=218 Yes, we’ve been in a quiet time

2015 was a sabbath year of quietness, rest, and prayer for RYO. Our youth leaders graduated from college, tried diligently to secure sustaining funding, completed their community service as VISTA volunteers, and ended up going on to paying jobs in various communities that took them away from youth work. At around the same time, the City School District decided against allowing community groups like RYO to talk about and advertise their after-school programs within the schools, seriously limiting fall recruitment of new student participants.

The present situation

However, many youth in our community and neighborhood are still hungry for truth, meaning, and connectedness in their lives. This past year has seen a dramatic increase in the number of young people “hanging out” on Arnett Boulevard right around the corner from our center, socializing, and getting snacks at the convenience store next door where they’re being exposed to various levels of idle behavior up to and including open-air drug sales, getting into scraps and mischief, petty vandalizing, and low level gambling. Where are God’s people in times like this?

What about the future?

Recently we’ve been talking with Gary Ham and members of his community-oriented Caleb Ministries about gathering and training lay youth leaders from the surrounding churches to reach out again to our neighborhood in 2016. If you, or someone you know, would be interested in being equipped for this kind of ministry, please contact us soon!

God bless you!

 

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Indiefest 2013 http://rocyo.org/94/ http://rocyo.org/94/#respond Mon, 28 Oct 2013 04:32:03 +0000 http://rocyo.org/?p=94 Rochester Youth Outreach hosted its first collaborative TWISY (The World Is Still Young) all-ages music event at the Vineyard Community Space on South Clinton Avenue this past Saturday, October 25th, as part of the city-wide Indiefest. Our youth lined up and showcased 6 different young bands, including 2 of their own, and entertained over 85 participants through the evening. From organizing, to setting up, to performing and taking down, the whole event was a great success!

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TWISY Event Rocks! http://rocyo.org/hello-world/ http://rocyo.org/hello-world/#respond Sun, 25 Aug 2013 19:33:16 +0000 http://rocyo.org/?p=1 RYO hosted another wonderfully successful youth-led and run all-ages TWISY music Event this Friday night at their space on Warwick Ave. The weather was perfect and all the preparations were in place when the first guests started arriving at 4. By suppertime, the space was packed with people, young and old, enjoying the live music, refreshments, and wholesome social atmosphere. By 8 pm as the sun was going down, it all wrapped up. Thanks to all who poured themselves into creating such a great evening for all of us! Let’s hope and pray that this is just the start of what will prove to be a very encouraging year ahead. Yes, TWISY – The World Is Still Young!

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Indiegogo Campaign http://rocyo.org/103/ http://rocyo.org/103/#respond Wed, 21 Aug 2013 12:46:55 +0000 http://rocyo.org/?p=103 Hello friends!

There are only 3 days left in the RYO Indiegogo Campaign! Check out the video here to find out what we’re about, and then please help if you can. Any money we raise will go a long way towards our mission of empowering Rochester’s young people through music and the arts. Thank you to all those who have invested so far!

For our Rochester friends, be sure to check out our next event, No Clouds Included, this Friday, August 23rd, at 265 Warwick Ave from 4pm – 8pm. Come enjoy music from BC Likes You, The Tarrants, and Disharmony. Our youth leaders have been hard at work preparing and it should be a great community gathering!

Remember to check out out Indiegogo site before the weekend, and join us this Friday night!

Thanks!
Dr. Bill and the RYO Team

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Garage Sale http://rocyo.org/garage-sale/ http://rocyo.org/garage-sale/#respond Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:53:21 +0000 http://rocyo.org/?p=127 Rochester Youth Outreach will be participating in a community garage sale at the Public Market (280 N. Union St.) on Sunday, June 30th from 8 am to 2 pm. All profits made from sales will go toward supporting RYO programming. We are in need of donations of any goods which could be sold including clothes, books, appliances, furniture, etc. Please bring any of these items to His Branches by June 29th, and the RYO youth and adult team will transport and sell them at the Market. Thanks!

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Our First TWISY Event! http://rocyo.org/our-twisy-event/ http://rocyo.org/our-twisy-event/#respond Sat, 04 May 2013 14:49:00 +0000 http://rocyo.org/?p=108 Last night our own Rochester Youth Outreach (RYO) team hosted their first major event, TWISY. What on earth is TWISY? Well, it’s a reminder that The World Is Still Young, a celebration of young talent in the arts, music, and good planning and teamwork, a testimony that creative youth with good hearts and a little encouragement can go a long way. The future is brighter because you all care!

Over 50 people of all ages came, including classmates at Wilson High School, friends, visitors from out of town, parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles, teachers, volunteers and staff. A tasty grilled dinner and salad prepared by the youth was available as part of the entrance fee, along with lots of music, spoken word, and wholesome entertainment. There were even homemade cupcakes and TWISY tee shirts for sale at a modest price to raise funds for RYO. Watch the video below for to catch an impromptu drum circle.

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Police Appreciation Breakfast http://rocyo.org/police-appreciation-breakfast/ http://rocyo.org/police-appreciation-breakfast/#respond Sat, 27 Apr 2013 13:47:33 +0000 http://rocyo.org/?p=122 Nine Rochester Police Department officers assigned to the Westside were able to join us this morning for a Police Appreciation Breakfast hosted by the Arnett Block Association. Not only was the food varied and tasty, but the whole event was filled with gratitude for the men and women who serve our community so faithfully. After a time of feasting and sharing, several officers were dispatched to a call while the others were able to linger long enough to visit the Rochester Youth Outreach mural project down the hall. God bless you all!

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GO Open House 11/3 http://rocyo.org/go-open-house-113/ http://rocyo.org/go-open-house-113/#respond Sat, 27 Oct 2012 16:21:44 +0000 http://rocyo.org/?p=191

Generation Outreach cordially invites you
to our Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
 Saturday, November 3, 2012
Eleven O’clock in the Morning

His Branches Conference Room
350 Arnett Boulevard
Rochester, New York

R.S.V.P.
(585) 957-6730 or justin.ortiz@go6-12.org

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Doug and Cynthia http://rocyo.org/doug-and-cynthia/ http://rocyo.org/doug-and-cynthia/#respond Sun, 13 May 2012 15:03:49 +0000 http://rocyo.org/?p=194 Congratulate them the next time you see them! Our good friends Douglas Smith and Cynthia Hobbs were married on May 12 in a lovely ceremony at the Adams Street Church of God by Faith, surrounded by family and friends. A rousing reception was held afterwards at The Diplomat Party House, and then they disappeared from sight!

Doug counsels young men about the risks of STDs through our Embracing Options ministry and has recently become the leader of our Rochester Youth Outreach (RYO) program. Cynthia is becoming more active in our neighborhood planning and helps Doug on Sunday afternoons when Grace Community Mission holds open services in the RYO suite on Warwick Avenue.

Doug and Cynthia will be inspiring us with music and song again at our annual “Banquet of Blessing” on May 24th, this time as Mr. and Mrs. Smith!

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RYO Literacy Program http://rocyo.org/ryo-literacy-program/ http://rocyo.org/ryo-literacy-program/#respond Sat, 15 Sep 2007 12:55:24 +0000 http://rocyo.org/?p=200 Rochester Youth Outreach is co-sponsoring a Children’s Literacy Program with the Arnett Branch Library this fall on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 4:30 to 6:00 pm, starting on September 25th. Under the supervision of RYO’s Jessica Speares and Gabe Pelligrino from the Library, volunteers from Roberts Wesleyan College and Elim Bible Institute will be working with 4-8 year old kids whose parents have signed them up.

The program will offer enrolled children a safe place to go after school, a confidence builder in academics, nutritious snacks, and parental involvement.

Click here to view a flyer and here to download an application form.

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