Embedded Files
From Vision Youth Center to VYC Foundation — building strong foundations for over 25 years.
Our Legacy: From Vision Youth Center to VYC Foundation
The VYC Foundation may be officially established in 2021, but our story goes back much further.
In 1996, Rene Diane opened Your Kids R Our Kids, a trusted in-home daycare. When those children grew older, parents didn’t want to lose that safe and caring environment.
That need gave birth to the Vision Youth Center (VYC) in 2000, located in Charlotte’s Derita Community. For more than a decade, Vision Youth Center provided before- and after-school programs, summer camps, and a place where children could learn, grow, and thrive.
Even through the challenges of the 2008 economic downturn, the program adapted — serving families until 2013, touching the lives of 100+ students.
In 2021, while teaching at CMS, Rene saw firsthand the toll the pandemic had taken on middle school scholars. She knew the work wasn’t finished — and the mission to empower youth needed to be reborn.
That is how the VYC Foundation, Inc. was established: to continue the vision, expand the reach, and meet the needs of today’s youth and young adults.
Today, as both a nonprofit founder and an Educator, Rene continues to shape lives through education, character development, entrepreneurship, and mentorship — proving that seeds planted years ago are still bearing fruit.
Vision Youth Center on Derita Ave. 2009 photo credit R.Glover
Why Derita Matters
The Derita community is where I began. When my family moved here in 1981 from upstate New York, there wasn’t much for teens to do. Most of us hung out at the local park playing basketball. Back in Binghamton, I had been part of a teen center through the Urban League — a safe place filled with programs, mentors, and trips that shaped my future.
That experience is why these programs are so important. Over the years, we’ve served more than 100 families right here in Derita — and many of those families are still connected with us today. Their stories are a reminder that when we invest in teens, we invest in leaders, families, and futures.
When you give monthly, you’re not just donating — you’re planting roots in this community that last for generations.
As we grow into new neighborhoods and schools, our commitment to Derita remains our foundation.
Ways to Sow
Your seed makes a difference. Every dollar goes directly toward mentoring, equipping, and empowering teens and young adults in Charlotte and beyond. Here’s how your gift grows:
$50 → Supplies for a Workshop
Provides art, STEM, or leadership materials so students can explore their creativity and skills.
$75 → A Week of After-School Care
Covers tuition for one student to attend Creative Minds After 3 — including homework help, activities, and snacks.
$150 → Sponsor a Teen for a Month
Supports consistent mentorship, character building, and real-world learning experiences.
$250 → Technology & Tools
Helps us purchase laptops, cameras, and software that prepare youth for the workforce and entrepreneurship.
$500 → Scholarship Fund Contribution
Provides financial support for students graduating into college or trade school.
$1,000 → Community Partner Level
Helps sustain the program long-term and includes recognition as a Sow A Seed Partner.
Monthly Giving Program
When you give monthly, you’re not just donating — you’re planting roots that last.
As a Faithful Sower, you join a community of givers who believe in building leaders, empowering teens, and creating opportunities month after month.
Your monthly seed provides:
Consistent mentorship for students.
Reliable resources like supplies, snacks, and technology.
Stability for families who need affordable, trusted programs.
Suggested Levels:
$25/month → Helps provide healthy snacks & supplies.
$50/month → Covers creative & leadership workshops.
$100/month → Sponsors one student’s full after-school tuition.
Every Faithful Sower receives quarterly updates, student stories, and recognition on our website — because your seeds are growing futures.
A throw back returning from a field trip.
Throwback of a trip to Carowinds
Life skills activity on camping and survival
Watermelon eating contest love these days
Founder Rene with Former Vision Youth Center Participants 30 years later.
Founder Rene Summer 2024 taking program to other non-profits
Testimonials from former parents and participants of Vision Youth Center
Good Ol' Days team building activity at Vision Youth Center 2004
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