Kids Giving Back
They are a formidable team - the elderly woman in the wheel chair and the boy sitting next to her playing Jeopardy. Heads together, they confer on strategy and when they win, the woman pats her teammate on the back. 
What makes this gesture so moving is that the boy, now 10-years old, has been living in our Residential Treatment Center since he was removed from an abusive family over a year ago. He has every reason to fear and mistrust people, yet he is growing into a caring and thoughtful young man with empathy for others.
What makes this gesture so moving is that the boy, now 10-years old, has been living in our Residential Treatment Center since he was removed from an abusive family over a year ago. He has every reason to fear and mistrust people, yet he is growing into a caring and thoughtful young man with empathy for others.
Nurturing that empathy is the goal of our Service Learning program. By bringing together the elderly woman and the fearful young boy, UCAN creates opportunities for victims of abuse and neglect to recognize their own strengths and value.
And as the woman turns and smiles at the boy, as she pats his shoulder, the seed of that strength is planted and begins to flourish.
We typically think of a social service agency giving support to clients. But equally important to program of healing at UCAN is teaching clients that they can give support to others.