YORK COUNTY, Pa. — The annual 24-hour online giving event to benefit hundreds of York County non-profit groups is coming up in May. Over the past few weeks, FOX43 has explored some of the non-profit groups benefiting from Give Local York.
The final group profiled is the New Birth of Freedom Council of the Boy Scouts of America and its work to offer scouting to young people in the City of York.
"[What] we offer is an opportunity for youth in the city to be able to enjoy the outdoors but also enjoy STEM programming as well as the arts," said scoutmaster Sal Franqui.
The program partners with schools and other organizations to provide the unique elements of scouting to young people in the city.
"Scouting is important to me [because] it brings suburban kids and country kids into the city, to urban scouting and it gives us a chance to be able to participate in events," said scout Ian Smith.
The program offers scouts after-school programming and opportunities to learn team building and life skills, both in and outside the city that they may not get anywhere else.
"In the community where we live, there aren't a lot of resources where [people] are able to learn how to start a fire or go camping in the woods or swim in the open area," said Ian's mother, Montika Smith.
Things like swimming, fishing, cooking and hiking offer valuable time in the great outdoors.
"I learned about the outdoors and the scout laws, that's what's important," said scout Imani Jacobs.
In addition to outdoor skills and fun, the scouting program also teaches youngsters to be good people of high moral character.
"The scout law [is] like integrity," explained Imain's mother, Nicole. "How to be a good person in the community, how to treat people, how to love the country that you are in and take care of it."
The scouting program is funded primarily through donations and other annual fundraising efforts. This year's money raised during Give Local York will go toward the urban scouting program.
"We have a lot more to do, we emphasize it because every single kid should have an opportunity to be a scout," said Franqui. "Every single family should be a scouting family, that's what we want to emphasize in the City of York."
The scouting program is open to boys and girls from kindergarten to 18 years old. For those interested in joining the program, click here.
The seventh annual Give Local York Online Giving Event will be held on May 2 and 3.