( VOICES Photo collage by:  Marena Priday, Michelle Rogers, Maria Aguirre, Samuel Crosswell, Anthony Valencia, Victoria Garcia, Fabian De La Pena)

We polled the staff, youth staff, Board and volunteers of VOICES to learn what people are thankful for in this season of gratitude. Check it out, we’re a thank-filled crew:

“I’m thankful for chickens, turkeys, beets, potatoes and all of the hard work that goes into raising and nurturing such delicious creations. Thanks, farmers! And thanks, Mother Nature! But seriously, I’m very thankful for VOICES, which helps me remember, every day, what it is like to be a youth again. It’s hard!”     —  Joshua Garcia, writing staff 

“I’m thankful for my brother coming home safe and sound from Iraq.”     —   Stephanie Fleming, VOICES youth apprentice (magazine)

“I am thankful to be part of an organization that values youth and their contributions to our society. I am thankful and hopeful when I see what amazing things we are all capable of when we decide to make a difference. I am thankful for the love and support that I receive from my family and friends.”     —   Pat Tuller, board member

“I’m thankful for getting my first experience with makeup and fashion through VOICES.”     — Jacob Lopez, VOICES youth apprentice (radio)

“I’m thankful for the people and creatures who love me. I’m thankful that I quit smoking in 2009 after 18 years. I’m thankful for high-brow discussions and low-brow TV, and I am thankful for VOICES for giving me the opportunity to feel good about myself by putting all my education to good use.”     —  Maggie Werner, volunteer mentor

“I’m thankful for all the cool and interesting friends I made at VOICES and for my new-found sense of confidence. I’m also thankful that I can buy my family presents because I have been saving up my checks. Happy Thanksgiving! ”     — Jodi Franklin, VOICES youth apprentice (magazine) 

“I am thankful for the love of my wife, family, and friends.  I am also grateful to be involved in community service, to be a board member of an organization that makes a significant difference, and  to be in a position to give back to my community.”  — Kirk Strang, treasurer and board member

 “I am thankful to have the opportunity to work with and around so many young, brilliant, and empowered staff and volunteers at VOICES . . . seriously, it’s a pretty big deal . . . I’m happy.”     —   Ashley Raasch, photography staff

“I am most thankful for getting my college applications out of the way and for the numerous outlets of advice and time I was given in making my college choices, and even more thankful that our fall program is running smoothly and all of the radio youth have been published!”     — Felix Valencia, radio staff

“I’m thankful for the parts of life that exist in perfect contentment, even if only for seconds. I’m also grateful for the people I know whose presence creates a longer and deeper happiness.”      — Natalee Dawson, VOICES youth apprentice (magazine)

“I am thankful that I am a mentor at VOICES where I feel I grow and learn as much as the students I mentor do.  I am thankful to live in the southwest where the beginnings and ends of days are so beautiful.”     — Mary Goethals, volunteer mentor

“I’m thankful for the video youth who enjoy working at VOICES so much that they want to come work even on the night before Thanksgiving. I’m thankful for HDTV. I’m thankful for Gmail and Google Docs. I’m thankful for Facebook sharing. I’m thankful for YouTube. I’m thankful for my mother’s health. I’m ESPECIALLY thankful for the staff, video volunteers, Board members, youth, Arizona Daily Star photography guest speakers, and alumni of VOICES who work so hard to give youth a voice. I wish I was thankful for the UA football team going to the Rose Bowl for THE FIRST TIME EVER but sadly are not.”     — Donny Tran, AmeriCorps member

“I’m thankful for warm Arizona winters, sweatpants, frozen pizza, the Third Street bike path, and everyone who works in non-profits or education and makes the world a little bit better place to be!”     —  Angel Miller, volunteer mentor

“I am thankful for my mentors who remind me to ‘lift my head’ when I get bogged down in the muck. I am thankful for this amazing staff, our Board and volunteers, and  the tenacity of the VOICES youth apprentices who work very hard.”     — Stephanie Balzer, executive director

“I’m grateful to be connected to so many people who inspire me to be better, more creative, more giving, and more reflective.  I’m grateful to live in a place where I can play tennis all year round and I’m grateful to be traveling home to spend the holidays with my family.”     —  Amanda Kraus, board president

“I’m thankful to be surrounded by love. I’m thankful for the lifelong friendships I’ve made at VOICES because they make it easier to care and be able to say so.”     — Donnamarie Miranda, VOICES alum and board member

“Thankful for pleasure, thankful for pain, the whole yarn, the total thing.  (God, you’re easy to love.  And so hard to see.) And I’m thankful my sprained ankle is healing and I can love and dance and create again.”     — Devin Horn, AmeriCorps member

“I am thankful for my access to healthy food! I am grateful that I have friends with lots of specialties and interests and who live in neat places where I can visit them. I am thankful that VOICES has such passionate, always-pushing-the-limits people on staff, from the youth to the adults. I am thankful for Lisa, our new social worker! I am thankful for all of the VOICES youth, many of whom spend long hours on the bus to get to our office. I am thankful for the stories they write and that someone at the office, no matter what kind of day it is, always makes me laugh.”     —  Katie Gindlesparger, writing director

“I am thankful for the many blessings present in my life that include my ever supportive and loving group of family and friends and the ability to help others to help themselves.”     — Lisa Bartkowski, ASU Master’s of Social Work intern 

“I’m thankful for all of the great friends I have. They give me another reason to wake up in the morning.”     —  Charlie Franco, VOICES youth apprentice (radio)

“Since this is my first Thanksgiving on the west coast, I’m thankful for clear skies and warm weather. And the leftovers I’m sure to collect on Friday.”     — Ben Truman, AmeriCorps member