LUCY’s Impact In 2022
· As of December 6th, 2022, 378 unique youth have been served 9,242 times
· 9 LUCY programs have hosted 416 opportunities for 798 hours, plus 72 trips and 10
overnights
· 350 volunteers offering days of service and a core group providing daily
tutoring/mentoring/support
· Since 2008, all 453 active seniors have graduated high school and entered college
and/or the workforce
· Since just 2019, 94 LUCY youth graduated from a four-year college
· In 2022, gender composition was 42% female, and 56% male, and 2% nonbinary/other
· 94% of LUCY participants live at or below the poverty line, attend underperforming
schools, and have limited access to higher education and fair wage employment
opportunities
· 95% percent of LUCY’s College and Career Academy participants are first-generation
students
· 74% of LUCY’s participants are from immigrant families of 17 native countries.
· In 2022, LUCY served an estimated 100 LGBTQIA+ youth, as well as 65 in 2019. LUCY is
known as an LGBTQ+ safe space, hosting “Haven,” a support program with Cooper
Medical School
· LUCY Outreach is located in Camden city; however, youth participants come from many
different neighborhoods throughout the county. Neighboring areas in which our
youth reside include Pennsauken, Gloucester City, Deptford, Maple Shade,
Oaklyn, Woodlynne, Collingswood, Westville, Willingboro, Cherry Hill,
Williamstown, and Merchantville. Our youth attend schools in towns such as
Pennsauken, Audubon, Brooklawn, Philadelphia, Atco, Bordentown, Haddonfield,
and Lindenwold
Alumni Giving Back to Camden
LUCY alumni make an impact on their city in remarkable ways:
· 21 alumni have returned to LUCY as summer interns, with 4 currently working as year-round
staff
· 19 are nurses or healthcare workers throughout the county
· 9 have gone on to get their Masters degrees
· 7 are teachers in Camden
· 6 are community activists
· 5 are social workers
· 6 are Camden and Pennsauken police officers
· 4 have opened small businesses
· 3 own their own restaurants
Eddie
“There are so many things that I want to do in life. LUCY has let me know that I can accomplish them all. To me LUCY means family, hope, future, and guidance. When I am there I feel like I am surrounded by family. We encourage each other, both youth and staff, to do better. I know LUCY doesn’t stop after I graduate from the program. They will make sure that I succeed by helping me whenever I need them.”
Kayla
LUCY is home. It’s been everything in my life since 4th or 5th grade. It’s helped me through family challenges, gets me out of my comfort zone, meet new people and new relationships, and has developed me into a great leader and presence in my community.
Yoresmi
“I am 24 years old now. I joined LUCY at 16 years old. At the time, I had already been exposed to drugs, gangs and violence throughout Camden. Many of my friends and family fell victim to this life. I decided to obtain a Criminal Justice degree in hopes of joining the police academy and eventually continuing my education. I recently graduated from Rowan College of Burlington County, completing my final semester in Human Services. LUCY has made all the difference in my life, supporting me not only through some rough high school years, but through all my young adult milestones after I graduated. THANK YOU LUCY for inspiring me to do for others now. I love you guys!”
Melvin
“LUCY gave me so many opportunities that I wouldn’t have been able to have without them. They exposed me to countless programs, speakers, trips and overnights that shaped the way I see the world and impacted how I live my young adult life and what I want to do, which is serve and help others in my community. Before I became involved I was painfully shy and quiet, without many friends or activities to get involved in. After joining, I slowly came out of my shell slowly by surely. I have made so many friends and always have a place to go where I can be heard and stay involved with my city. Currently I’m part-time with the Camden Police Department but I hope to be fulltime with them soon. This past year I participated in the training to become a volunteer and pay it forward to new, younger youth. They will benefit from LUCY’s love and support, as I did.”
Lakiesha
”I’m so grateful for LUCY, which has given my daughter and I a fresh start, time and time again. LUCY is a blessing to us and our lives daily, and we are so grateful for the relationship and the impact you’ve added to our lives. You are breaking negative cycles and improving the lives of so many. We love you guys!”
