By Eliza Krackeler
Youth2, a community service group in Saratoga Springs, hit a roadblock when it came to creating their 2021 volunteer workshop. Because of the pandemic, it was not safe to hold the meeting in person. But Youth2 board members came together in an effort to keep the tradition alive. Using Zoom, they upheld the group’s mission—educating young people about how they can give back to and make a difference in the world.
Every year for the past three years, Youth2 has provided a volunteer workshop on Martin Luther King Jr. weekend that teaches kids how to take initiative in their community. But ever since the pandemic, Youth2 has had to adjust and reevaluate. Ms. Beverly Lazar-Davis, the leader and founder of the group, said, “It is important to see young people coming together to do something that’s COVID safe, but at the same time interactive and educational. This has been challenging.”
Youth2 focuses on inspiring passionate individuals to make a difference in their community through volunteerism. Ms. Beverly Lazar-Davis said, “One of the unique things about Youth2 is that we fund and guide projects that youth creatively think up and are passionate about to help our community.”
These projects fall under a broad range. Some Youth2 members prefer to work on a smaller scale. This includes aiding with the collection and distribution of food or necessities to the homeless at local drives. Other projects operate internationally. For instance, a girl from Youth2 collected mosquito nets to aid the malaria situation in South Africa.
Youth2 provides young people with an outlet for expressing themselves through projects that they truly connect with. Ms. Beverly Lazar-Davis said, “Volunteering allows you to not only learn about yourself and what’s happening in the community but also to think about things that matter to you—and plan and act.”