Saturday during Chamberfest, The Family YMCA Board Member and local State Farm Agent Lou Santoro presents a check from the State Farm Foundation to Y Reach and Rise Youth Mentoring Director Dianna Reichelt, center, and Y Membership Director Estrella Pinkerton. Courtesy photo

Y News:

During Chamberfest Saturday, Y Membership Director Estrella Pinkerton told the audience that the Y’s Reach and Rise Youth Mentoring Program has been operating in Los Alamos, matching screened and trained adult volunteers with youth for the last five years.

Pinkerton said the Y’s adult mentor volunteers give local children an additional positive support in their lives and together they create and work toward goals, using cognitive behavior mentoring techniques. She welcomed a new partner that is helping the Y continue to provide this invaluable support to local youth, which is the State Farm Foundation, who was represented at Chamberfest by Los Alamos agent Lou Santoro.

Santoro said he was happy and honored to present The Family YMCA with a State Farm Foundation big check for $10,000, which he presented to Reach and Rise Youth Mentoring Director Dianna Reichelt. Santoro said State Farm has relationships with a variety of national, state and local organizations that enact real change in the communities were State Farm agents live and work.

The Foundation’s support goes toward auto and home safety programs that help people manage risk; disaster preparedness and recovery; and education, job training, financial literacy and community development programs, projects and services that help people realize their dreams.

“State Farm actively supports efforts to ensure all children have access to a quality education that will allow them to achieve their greatest potential,” Santoro said. “We thank our friends at The Family YMCA for your commitment to our community youth through programs like Reach and Rise Youth Mentoring.”

The Family YMCA Reach and Rise Youth Mentoring Program helps youth attain success. Courtesy photo