All kids deserve moments of unbridled joy and childhood– moments where they can put their stressors to the side and just be kids. This sentiment is what drove Rivertown Kidz founder Jenny Mendak to launch the program under the Millvale Community Development Corporation. Rivertown Kidz sits at the intersection of community aid, enrichment, and community traditions. We solve for parts of childhood that many kids in our community do not have access to at school or at home. For years Jenny led the movement with free haircuts, last day of school celebrations, swimming pool summer field trips, clothing drives, pizza parties, and so much more. This year, the Rivertown Kidz program is expanding to become a committee of Millvale Youth Advocates, all working together to serve the needs of youth in our community. Weare currently planning our next year of programming, and need community support to raise funds for the following projects:

• Summer poolday field trip

• Movie Nights at Millvale Community Library

• Safe spaces and clubs for LGBTQIA+ youth in the community

• Open-Mics

• Pizza Parties

• Christmas Tree Light-Up

• Activity stations at Millvale-wide events

As we build on the model designed by Jenny Mendak, our goals are to continue her well-loved programming and to invite collaboration with neighborhood youth advocates and fellow youth-serving organizations.