Make it Happen for Yolo County

Make it Happen for Yolo County (MIH) is a small non-profit organization in its 11th year of providing furniture and household goods as well as support, resources, and advocacy for under-resourced Transitional Age Youth (TAY) of Yolo County.  This population, between the ages of 16-24, are transitioning to independent living from foster care, the juvenile justice system, being unhoused or lacking support from family, friends or community.  Many also have mental health challenges.  While this time of life can be difficult for any youth, most can rely on emotional and financial support from those close to them, as well as the items needed to furnish an apartment or home.  For at-risk youth however, this resource is often not available.  Make it Happen for Yolo County steps in to address this issue of Furniture Poverty by collecting gently used donated furniture and purchasing new items necessary for creating a home.   By helping them fully furnish their first home, we are giving them peace of mind about such things as where they will sleep and how they will prepare meals. We want them to feel the comfort that a home can provide, so that they can focus on the other important milestones they must tackle, as well as giving them agency over their own lives and showing them that their community cares.  

After a youth is referred to our organization and eligibility is determined, social workers or case managers work with them to complete a "wish list" provided by Make it Happen.  We contact the youth directly and arrange a time to meet with them at our storage units and to help deliver their selections to their homes.  Being physically present at our storage units allows them the opportunity to choose other items they might not have realized they could use when initially completing the wish list. Depending on need, we provide furniture, small appliances and all of the items necessary for the dining, living, bedroom, and bathroom areas of their home.  Repeatedly we hear these youth express their gratitude not only for the items they receive but also for the support of their community.

Last year, in response to feedback from our clients, we began offering bicycles.  We partner with Martin Luther King High School's bicycle repair and maintenance class and the Davis Bike Collective to provide refurbished bicycles to our youth.  They are also given helmets, locks and lights to use. 

Each year we are pleased to sponsor the Make It Happen Youth Excellence Award for $500 to a graduate of Yolo County's Independent Living Program (ILP).  The participants, ages 14-21, attend classes to develop the skills to transition to successful living on their own.  These range from health, cooking and nutrition to financial literacy and career exploration.  

In addition to significantly increasing the number of youth served, we have also expanded our partnerships with other Yolo County agencies, organizations and individuals dealing with transition age youth.  In the past year, Make It Happen has worked with the UCD Guardian Scholar Program, Shores of Hope, EA Family Services as well as the Yolo County Department of Health and Human Services TAY units, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) and the Yolo Crisis Nursery and the Dependency Law Center in Yolo County. We also receive referrals from Woodland Community College, along with Yolo County's Probation Department and individuals working with TAY. MIH has always been able to provide for every eligible TAY youth requesting our assistance.  

We are the only organization in Yolo County providing these services to our clients.