Bright Star Youth Academy Supplies Drive

Game Day Supply Benefits Drive at Dave & Buster’s

The Without Borders Planning Committee of RAK has a question for you: Can you come out and play?

It's for a good cause! We will be taking supply donations for Bright Star Youth Academy.

Bright Star Academy is a Residential Treatment Center (RTC) for fifteen girls, ages 10-17, who are in CPS custody and awaiting foster placement or family reunification. BSYA is licensed and contracted with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services and is one of only 10 such agencies in the entire state and it is the only agency of its kind in Dallas and surrounding 19-county radius. They take a comprehensive approach...you can read more about Bright Star Youth Academy and the incredible work they are doing here:

http://www.brightstaryouthacademy.org/

Bright Star could use our help in meeting some very basic needs for the girls. Dave and Busters (located at 9450 North Central Expressway, Dallas, TX 75231), has graciously agreed to support our effort to help Bright Star. They will provide RAK with a small, private board room where donations can be dropped off, use of our own wait staff and game cards for a RAK Volunteer drawing. Also a BSYA representative will be there to answer any questions concerning the Academy or inquiries for volunteering opportunities.
Here is a list of some suggestions for items needed from Shawne Horn, Vice President of Development at Bright Star. Please read carefully because some items are NOT appropriate (e.g. no McDonald's gift certificates), per their mission and approach:

1. Gift cards to restaurants – specifically to places that provide healthy, take-out lunches (Subway, Whole Foods, Eatzi’s, Einstein Bros Bagels . . . etc.). Our residents have multiple appointments with doctors, case workers, and therapists during the week. Those appointments are required, but keeping them means they have to be checked out of school. In an effort to take them out of school for only as long as necessary (and then get them back to their individual schools), our staff must scramble all around town trying to get each resident fed before returning to school. It is hectic, expensive, and leads to the residents begging to run through an unhealthy fast-food joint.
2. Summer Clothing – Exercise bras, crew socks, short-sleeve t-shirts, khaki shorts, summer skirts, summer pajama sets (not nightgowns), tank tops (not spaghetti straps), . . . etc. (This will be the first Spring/Summer that we will experience since our agency opened, so we have no reserve of donated clothing items from which the residents can choose.)
3. Tickets to Community Events – (Six Flags, Perot Museum, water parks, movie passes, bowling passes, Top Golf passes, putt-putt passes, etc.) Anything that will get the residents out of the house during the summer, and will serve as incentives and/or rewards for leadership and exemplary behavior.
4. Personal hygiene items – toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo/conditioner, combs, brushes, hair products for African American residents, deodorant, lip balm, acne face wash, Clearasil (or similar), hair-removal cream (in lieu of razors).
5. Fun, Teenage Girl Accessories – rubber bands, ribbons, hair clips, non-permanent hair coloring in fun colors, flip flops (sizes 7 – 12, women’s), fingernail/toenail polish, makeup (eye shadow, foundation, eye liner, mascara, lip gloss, . . . etc.)

So there you have it: a chance to help out, pig out, rock out, and---if you're lucky at winning door prizes or play well---walk out with some fabulous prizes.

Can you come out and play?