Nonprofit Expands to Meet Growing Needs of Children, Families

The economic downturn hit many local families hard. The stress it created, in some cases was passed on to children who needed counseling to learn to deal with life’s challenges. 

As the need grew, the need for resources to assist families also increased, which meant that in 2011, was providing counseling to children and families in greater numbers than the year before, according to Executive Director Ron Hume. 

At a time when the need for services for children and families was growing, 360 Youth Services also expanded. The nonprofit opened a new counseling and meeting space, located at 1935 Brookdale Road, that allows it to run more group programs and counseling sessions. 

Counseling sessions at one time were held at the original site on Oswego Road, with other programs held at a Bond Street location, but now the organization – previously known as NCO Youth and Family Services, has space large enough to accommodate those programs without making parents travel from location to location, Hume said.

“The counseling unit was split — it fragmented the unit some — it didn’t the synergy we wanted,” Hume said. “Also, it saved time for people traveling back and forth. … This space lets us really allows us to do what we really want to do. It also allows us to expand for programs and respond to the community’s needs.”

The organization does not turn away anyone based on the ability to pay. But, along with the name and location changes, 360 Youth Services made it easier for some families to access services, Hume said. 

“We realized the people we weren’t serving were the ones with insurance,” he said. “We were refusing those who could pay, but who had co-pays.” 

The nonprofit has opened up services to those who have insurance, which was another reason it needed a larger facility to serve greater numbers of families, Hume said. 

“Adolescence is a time some of us sail through fine and some of us don’t,” he said. “Everything is changing: our body, going out on our own. For some kids — even those who have been close with their parents — can have troubles.”

The nonprofit has three pillars: Assisting at risk youth, providing general counseling and education and support.

Hume said that the community, schools and families have been requesting additional programs to help kids learn how to interact socially, to deal with bullying and just feel more confident.

“One thing we are finding is there is more of a need for social confidence courses,” Hume said. “The pressure on children is different than it once was. Kids are asked to grow up faster, but they aren’t really ready emotionally.”

360 Youth Services will be holding its Spring Ahead Run, a 10K and 5K race, which also includes a kids fun run on April 15. Learn more about the race and the nonprofit and its programs.